The need for a course of study to prepare museum educators for their work resulted in this book of reports and case studies in museum education. Conceived during a meeting of the Council on Museum Education in 1972, the project was supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C., federal agencies, and several private foundations. Responsibility for the project was assumed by the Cleveland Museum of Art. A total of 105 programs from 71 institutions were selected to: (1) describe the state of visual arts education in the 1970s as practiced in museums, schools, and community organizations; (2) explain the ideas behind these programs and the techniques used by the various educators; and (3) make clear the possibilities and limitations of museums as educational institutions. Methods of study were surveys given to each program director (which appear in Appendix II), interviews, and observations. Contents include an introductory discussion on how to use this book, issues in art museum education, and the methodology involved in this project. Chapters fit into three major categories: The Art Museum and Its General Public; The Art Museum and College, University, and Professional Audience; and The Art Museum and the Young, Their Teachers, and Their Schools. Appendices give information about the institutions and programs surveyed for this study. An extensive index is provided listing institutions, ideas, people, and program titles mentioned in the study. (LC)