We review observational evidence bearing on the formation of a prototypical large spiral galaxy, the Milky Way. New ground- and space-based studies of globular star clusters and dwarf spheroidal galaxies provide a wealth of information to constrain theories of galaxy formation. It appears likely that the Milky Way formed by an combination of rapid, dissipative collapse and mergers, but the relative contributions of these two mechanisms remain controversial. New evidence, however, indicates that initial star and star cluster formation occurred simultaneously over a volume that presently extends to twice the distance of the Magellanic Clouds.

• J. E. HESSER(National Research Council of Canada, Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, Dominion Astrophysical Observatory)
• P. B. STETSON(National Research Council of Canada, Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, Dominion Astrophysical Observatory)
• W. E. HARRISM(Master University)
• M. BOLTE(Lick Observatory)
• T. A. SMECKER-HANE(University of California)
• D. A. VANDENBERG(University of Victoria)
• R. A. BELL(University of Maryland)
• H. E. BOND(Space Telescope Science Institute)
• S. VAN DEN BERGH(National Research Council of Canada, Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, Dominion Astrophysical Observatory)
• R. D. MCCLURE(National Research Council of Canada, Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, Dominion Astrophysical Observatory)
• G. G. FAHLMAN(University of British Columbia)
• H. B. RICHER(University of British Columbia)