Motivated by experiment, we argue that the enigmatic hidden order in URu₂Si₂ demands a dual description that encompasses both its itinerant and its local aspects. A combination of symmetry considerations and observation allow us to rule out a number of possibilities. The two remaining scenarios, the quadrupolar charge density wave and the orbital antiferromagnet, are discussed and experiments are suggested to select between these proposals.

PACS numbers: 78.20.Ls, 47.25.Gz, 76.50.+b, 72.15.Gd