The Role of the Museum in the Creation of the Identity of the City .......... 139

While heritage plays a major role in the construction of collective identities of many cities and towns, it is important to study their musems’ programs and collections as they do not only store but also interpret significant symbolic resources used in the processes of such collective identity formation. City museums are however often underestimated as institutions of public service due to the role they play in tourism, and this is how they are predominantly seen. This chapter presents introduction to heritage and museum studies by providing some examples and terms needed for effective research of city museums. It contains both theoretical considerations and some exercises that can be conducted by students (and anyone wishing to reflect upon the nature of heritage in the perspective of city). Both the methods of storytelling and the making of collections are looked at with the aim of encouraging readers to study specific examples of city museums.