For hundreds of years' museums, and before them, cabinets of curiosities, have occupied an important place in societies around the world as spaces for the collection and celebration of the past, as well as for learning and progress. Even the word itself: museum – literally, a temple of the muses – alludes to their ability to inspire and enhance.

Their potential, as well as that of the arts and culture sector as a whole, to do good and better our towns and cities is a fact lost on few of us. On top of their intrinsic value and role in driving a better quality of life, the arts are essential to education. They can promote tourism and stimulate local economies, build an area's reputation and give communities a unique identity, and in some cases, even bolster our soft power abroad.