museum

[ myoo-zee-uhm ]

noun

1. a building or place where works of art, scientific specimens, or other objects of permanent value are kept and displayed.

museum

/ mjuːˈzɪəm /

noun

1. a place or building where objects of historical, artistic, or scientific interest are exhibited, preserved, or studied

Other Words From

• inter·mu·seum adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of museum¹

1605–15; < Latin mūsēum place sacred to the Muses, building devoted to learning or the arts (referring especially to the scholarly institute founded in Alexandria about 280 b.c.) < Greek Mouseîon, equivalent to Moûs ( a ) Muse + -eion suffix of place

Word History and Origins

Origin of museum¹

C17: via Latin from Greek Mouseion home of the Muses, from Mousa Muse

Example Sentences

The BBC reported in October that an auction house in Oxfordshire had been forced to withdraw human and ancestral remains from a sale following criticism from native groups and museums.

From BBC

Now the item will form part of the South Kensington museum's Versailles: Science And Splendour exhibition, which opens on 12 December.

From BBC

So, museums have started returning human remains from communities such as the Maori tribes of New Zealand, the Mudan warriors of Taiwan, the Aboriginal people of Australia and the Native Hawaiians.

From BBC

At the Louvre, the world’s most visited art museum, it is no longer possible to see “La Gioconda,” that famous picture better known as “Mona Lisa.”

From Los Angeles Times

Flores quickly became a bee advocate, touring local schools, libraries and museums to educate children about the importance of bees and sharing his love for the often-feared creatures.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• building
• foundation
• gallery
• hall
• institution
• library
• salon