Written with verve and style, this book begins with an historical overview of the museums of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and the West Bank of Palestine and then focuses on the museums of Jordan and the women who work in them. Carol Malt intertwines a history of Islam and a discussion of the emerging public role of women in Muslim society. A museum director herself, the author provides a unique perspective and meaningful insights into the lives and work of twenty-four women who founded, curate, administer, and support Jordan's museums. Their individual and collective contributions to the development of cultural institutions in Jordan are well documented by Malt. Interviews with women in leadership positions capture the difficulties and demands of balancing their profession and maintaining their traditional family lifestyles.