Coming in late in the vein of the Western civilization, American culture is young and vibrant. So are the museums. The most characteristic museums in the United States are not to be found in mega cities like New York or Los Angeles. They rest at the foot of mountains, amidst the Southern suburbs, and sometimes in the forgotten corner of a fine college campus. What is important about these hidden gems is that they represent the real America as they are often created and operated by the people who feel dearest to the themes of their museums. Great diversity can be seen in the creation of the seven museums selected for this lecture – The Cloisters, High Line, Field Museum of Natural History, National Firearm Museum, The Ark Encounter, Harvard Museum of Natural History, and Delta Airline Museum. Not only do they vary in topical themes, but they were owned and run by businessmen, activists, scholars, firms, and average citizens like us. How do they reflect the social dynamics of American society? What culture outsiders can learn from the making of these museums? These are the questions that Dr. Shen Xincheng will address in this lecture.