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

Museum Expansion: The Frick Collection Arguably even more so than its uptown neighbor the Met, the Frick has always been the quintessential New York City museum. —Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 10 June 2025

Five weeks after its 2011 launch, the museum achieved its target annual visitorship of 150,000; it was named Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2017. —News Desk, Artforum, 9 June 2025

In 2010, Carl represented himself, his brothers and his country at a ceremony in South Korea commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, per the museum. —Stephanie Guerilus, People.com, 7 June 2025

More: Protestors rally to support the national African American museum and Black history Schnabel of The Lynx Books hopes the efforts have impact beyond a day. —Deborah Barfield Berry, USA Today, 7 June 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.