In the context of modern cities and of the major social inequalities and exclusions they generate, this article considers the extent to which museums contribute to building democratic and progressive societies. Indeed, numerous museums either make promises of, or directly engage in, practices promoting respect for diversity, equality, accessibility and the idea of social inclusion. In this, they appear to contradict the rationale that develops cities as places dedicated to the exclusive cultivation of relations of power, inequality and social exclusion. At the same time, the tendency towards the commercialization of museum collections and activities, as well as the growth of the cultural economy, are becoming increasingly visible. This excludes many social groups from access to and participation in museum activities. It is found, however, that increasingly vulnerable groups (homeless, immigrants, the poor, etc.) tend to develop 'alternative museum sites', where they gather and exhibit material objects, experiences and oral testimonies about their life memories and construct or renegotiate their identities. Together, these activities cultivate a feeling of belonging and community, particularly in multicultural, but also in economically marginalized, regions.
