The conflict between elitism and populism in the development of American art museums is analyzed in the light of the gap between intention and accomplishment with regard to their public education mission. In the course of examining the origins and changing character of these institutions, it is suggested that although a public mission was adduced to justify their existence and gain access to public subsidy, in fact, art museums were never really designed to be “democratic” lmost in spite of this, however, they are reaching a far broader public than their founders could have imagined. In the process, the nature of the art viewing experience has changed, as have the definitions of what constitutes Art.