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 of museum

• gallery
• exhibition

Examples of museum in a Sentence

a museum of natural history

a trip to the Museum of Natural History

Recent Examples on the Web

An elevator ride to the fourth floor brings you to where most of the museum’s collection is housed. — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026

As a more permanent legacy, the museum has produced companion volumes for each of the three itineraries introduced in 2022, 2024, and 2026. — Ingrid D. Rowland, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026

Controversy came—from members of the cosmopolitan Black art scene, who had been protesting modern art museums like the Whitney for not exhibiting more work by Black artists. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026

Tom is a security guard here, and forbids entrance to the little mouse, leading to a brief spate of chasing around the museum. — Caspar Salmon, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026

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

Rhymes for museum

• athenaeum
• coliseum
• colosseum
• mausoleum
• mycelium
• corneum
• hordeum
• luteum
• lyceum
• endothelium
• periosteum
• peritoneum

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.