museum

noun

mu·​se·​um myu̇-ˈzē-əm How to pronounce museum (audio)
: 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

Examples of museum in a Sentence

a museum of natural history a trip to the Museum of Natural History
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While this museum’s opening may anoint Benin City as a buzzy new destination for art pilgrimages, Lagos, a 90-minute flight away, has long been a cultural capital in its own right. Sarah Khan, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Nov. 2024 The art museum opened in 1986 and was billed as one of the largest in Europe. Joelle Diderich, WWD, 22 Nov. 2024 Merlin operates a number of leading theme parks and tourist attractions, including Legoland, Peppa Pig Theme Park and Madame Tussauds waxwork museum. Greg McKenna, Fortune Europe, 20 Nov. 2024 While at the helm of the MCA, Abrams grew the museum’s endowment by 30 percent and oversaw the opening of the institution’s second space at the historic Holiday Theater in Denver’s Northside neighborhood. News Desk, Artforum, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for museum 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of museum was circa 1660

Dictionary Entries Near museum

Cite this Entry

“Museum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/museum. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

museum

noun
mu·​se·​um myu̇-ˈzē-əm How to pronounce museum (audio)
: 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.

More from Merriam-Webster on museum

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!