In January 2006 more than 400 people came together at the Royal Geographical Society in London to discuss the ‘public value’ of heritage. Organised by the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, the National Trust and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the event attracted a broad range of individuals and organisations who care passionately about heritage. At the heart of the conference was the question of how we capture the value of heritage. We know that people care about it, and that funding it generates all sorts of social and economic benefits. The challenge, though, is to present that evidence in a way that is relevant both to the public and to politicians. Understanding the impact of heritage also helps heritage organisations to improve their own performance. This volume brings together the presentations from the conference and highlights the main areas if discussion. It will be relevant to anyone involved in looking after the heritage, or interested in how ideas of ‘public value’ can be applied to cultural heritage.