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 project will be the next phase of the Miami Museum of Contemporary Art of the African Diaspora (MoCAAD), a virtual museum that celebrated its 10th anniversary in December at a gala at the Lyric Theater. —Dorothy Jenkins Fields, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026

But others have struggled, like the Prairiefire museum in Overland Park that defaulted after failing to make a $15 million payment on time in 2023. —Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026

After noticing that many open exhibitions in the area seemed focused more broadly on Southern California, the museum’s leadership saw an opportunity to hone in on Orange County artists exclusively. —Mona Darwish, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026

The museum suspects a former curator of peddling the goods on eBay — in one instance, a $60,000 piece of jewelry sold for merely $48 — but has only recovered some 650 items. —Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 8 Jan. 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.