This paper is aimed at identifying and discussing some of the critical emerging issues in the design and development of systems for museums and galleries. The focus of attention is primarily directed at museums and gallery people who are not information technology specialists. The paper is organised in three main parts as follows: - the need for new paradigms for systems design and development in general and for museums and galleries in particular - principal methods, trends and changes in systems engineering design and development processes. - specific issues affecting design and development and concluding comments.