FIFTEEN PAPERS PRESENTED AT THE SMITHSONIAN CONFERENCE ON MUSEUMS AND EDUCATION, AUGUST 21-26, 1966, WERE DIRECTED TOWARD DISCOVERING WAYS TO MAKE MORE EFFECTIVE EDUCATIONAL USE OF THE MORE THAN 5000 MUSEUMS IN THIS COUNTRY. PRESENT MUSEUM PROGRAMS IN EDUCATION, MUSEUM POTENTIALS IN EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WERE ASSESSED FOR PROBLEMS AND POTENTIALS. MUSEUMS AS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, COLLECTION ACCESSIBILITY IN TERMS OF THE EDUCATIONAL LEVEL OF THE PUBLIC AND OF EXHIBIT TECHNIQUES USED, MUSEUM EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND METHODS OF EVALUATING EXHIBIT EFFECTIVENESS WERE AMONG THE TOPICS COVERED. CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS CONCLUDED THAT THE POSSESSION BY MUSEUMS OF RESOURCE MATERIAL FOR SELECTIVE AND UNINHIBITED STUDY GIVES THEM A SPECIAL ROLE IN THE EVOLVING CONCEPTS OF EDUCATION AND THAT EXPANDED ACTIVITIES WILL GIVE MUSEUMS A GREATER ROLE IN EDUCATION. LIMITED FISCAL AND STAFF RESOURCES MAKE IT UNWISE TO GREATLY EXPAND PROGRAMS UNTIL PUBLIC NEEDS FOR MUSEUM SERVICES ARE MORE CAREFULLY EVALUATED. THESE PAPERS WERE PREPARED FOR THE SMITHSONIAN CONFERENCE ON MUSEUMS AND EDUCATION (UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT, BURLINGTON, AUGUST 21-26, 1966). (HM)