Though adopting a Public Value orientation to guide museum planning and positioning has advantages, its implementation, particularly with regard to the role of the public, is complex. Here, the terrain of Public Value is emergent, fluid and contested. This paper examines various views of the role of the public in Public Value including that of recipient, respondent and participative producer. It maps these roles onto current museum practice in relation to public participation and finds that, although museums have embraced an increasing array of participative practice, a role for the public as "authorizers" of Public Value requires a conceptual shift to allow for greater democracy in decision-making. (Contains 1 table and 5 notes.)