摘要：This article excavates the 'problem' of popular culture in museums, withparticular attention to Sheffield's National Centre for Popular Music and Preston'sNational Football Museum. In both cases, profound issues are raised forinformation and knowledge experts who must manage and negotiate thecontradictions of the popular. These two case studies are contextualizedthrough both urban regeneration policies and sports tourism strategies. Bothinstitutions were situated in the North of England, and both faced extraordinaryobstacles. What is interesting is that Sheffield's Centre was termed ¨C derisively¨C a Museum. It failed. Preston embraced the label of a National Museum, andafter profound threats to the institution, has survived. Part of the explanation forthese distinct trajectories is found in understanding the specific challenges thatpopular culture presents for the presentation of history, narrative, identity andspace
