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

Pabst Mansion has received inquiries and is hoping to be booked during the convention, said Jocelyn Slocum, museum director. —Tom Daykin, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024

The mannequin does not stay in the picture, in keeping with the off-the-body life of clothing in museum collections. —Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 18 Apr. 2024

The library will be a single-story, large footprint museum building with 93,000 square feet of interior space that includes interactive galleries, community spaces, a cafe, and an auditorium. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2024

In the case of Claudel, a subtle but opportune correction of the narrative arrives in the new museum show. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024

One area where Marin has pushed for greater acceptance and visibility is the arts: A big patron and collector, especially of Chicano art, Marin partnered in 2022 with the Riverside Art Museum and the city of Riverside in California to create a permanent museum space for Chicano art. —Arturo Conde, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024

There are surely house museums where a sustained focus on ideology and sexuality might qualify as a distraction — extraneous to the core mission of the site. —Christopher Hawthorne, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024

Come eclipse time, folks can head to the museum’s outdoor patio to see nature’s own art show. —Melissa Locker, TIME, 6 Apr. 2024

World & Nation Rescuers in Taiwan search for missing or stranded people after major earthquake kills 10 April 4, 2024 The museum was housed on a plain business campus with none of the ostentation and branding excess of American tech campuses. —Frank Shyong, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 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.