museum

noun

mu·​se·​um myu̇-ˈzē-əm 

: an institution devoted to the procurement, care, study, and display of objects of lasting interest or value

American Museum of Natural History

also : a place where objects are exhibited

an art museum

Synonyms

• gallery
• salon

Examples of museum in a Sentence

a museum of natural history

a trip to the Museum of Natural History

Recent Examples on the Web

Poster art is better known in Europe where nearly every country has a poster museum. —R. Daniel Foster, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Arteaga navigated the turbulent waters of the Covid-19 crisis, which forced the museum to close for several months, and reckoned with a 2022 break-in in which several artworks were damaged. —News Desk, Artforum, 5 Nov. 2024

The triennial is the museum’s first since the Covid-19 pandemic forced so many Americans to shelter in place, work from home and remotely educate children. —Jacoba Urist, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024

In addition to displaying her oeuvre, the museum has rounded up her various cultural and stylistic influences from Black Power Movement ephemera to pre-Hispanic sculptural references, pinpointing how Catlett’s intersectional politics were syncretic with her formal techniques. —Shameekia Shantel Johnson, ARTnews.com, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin Museum place for learned occupation, from Greek Mouseion, from neuter of Mouseios of the Muses, from Mousa

First Known Use

circa 1660, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing museum

• historical museum
• museum piece
• wax museum

Kids Definition

museum

noun

mu·​se·​um myu̇-ˈzē-əm 

: a building in which interesting and valuable things (as works of art or historical or scientific objects) are collected and shown to the public

Etymology

from Latin Museum "a place devoted to the Muses, a place for the study of special arts and sciences," from Greek Mouseion (same meaning), from Mouseios "of the Muses," from Mousa "Muse, goddess of an art or science" — related to music

Word Origin

The ancient Greeks worshipped nine sister goddesses, each of whom was called a Mousa. In English we now refer to them as the Muses. The Greeks believed that each Muse was the goddess of a particular art or science. A place that was dedicated to these goddesses—and to the arts and sciences for which they stood—was called a Mouseion. The Greek Mouseion became Museum in Latin, from which it was borrowed into English about 300 years ago.