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

The exhibition is only a first glimpse of the much larger collection that will soon be on view in the new museum in Jerusalem. —Sarah Kozlowski, Dallas Morning News, 21 Mar. 2026

Old works are juxtaposed next to modern oeuvres culled from other museums and the Guimet’s own collection. —Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 20 Mar. 2026

The Gala in the Garden serves as the museum’s largest fundraising effort of the year, drawing a high-profile crowd of cultural and civic leaders, artists, collectors and arts patrons. —Robert Lang, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026

The Country Music Hall of Fame announced its newest inductees in a media event Friday morning in the museum’s rotunda, revealing Tim McGraw, Paul Overstreet and the Stanley Brothers as the hall’s class of 2026. —Chris Willman, Variety, 20 Mar. 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

• 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.