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
• 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

Mount Vernon -- the mansion, garden, distillery, tombs, museum, and splendid view -- is a few miles away, so why not start our birthday year with Washington (1732–1799), the father of our country, our ... —Brian T. Allen, National Review, 5 July 2025

The museum, also called The Cuban, located in the heart of Miami, shows the prison cells and execution walls where communism’s empty promises led the island. —Luka Ladan, New York Daily News, 5 July 2025

The museum’s collection includes centuries-old books and a bottle of ambergris (a substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales), as well as elaborations on perfume’s long history. —Shauna Lyon, New Yorker, 4 July 2025

There were no museums and galleries to show her work. —Thessaly La Force, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2025

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

• corneum
• hordeum
• luteum
• lyceum
• athenaeum
• coliseum
• colosseum
• mausoleum
• mycelium
• 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.