Quality is a vague concept, it seems to be about a ”gut feeling” but is used as if it were a concrete property. This paper examines the defenition of the concept of quality, the relation between quality and gender equality and also what the representation between the genders in exhibitions, purchases and donations looks like in this day. As method for this paper text analysis, with searchlight on the two parameters of quality and equality, have been used on documents that provide a historical and a cultural policy perspective. The main part of the paper is an analysis of the visual arts on Värmlands museum, Kristinehamns konstmuseum and Rackstadmuseet.

In the discussion of the paper, chapter 5, the result of the research is presented. It is clear that there is no single answer as to what quality is. However, the term seems to be in close connection with a number of factors that are important in the selection processes of the museums. As for the relation between quality and equality the opinions of the museums are divided. According to gender theorist Vanja Hermele it is a common notion in the art world that there is a conflict between the two concepts but this opinion is not shared by all of the three museums. What has also been shown is that there is a higher representation of artists of female gender in the exhibitions of the museums in this day than in comparison to the 1900s. Finally a weakness in the connection between the cultural policy and the cultural institutions have been identified.