A museum is a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for education, study and enjoyment. Museums operate and communicate ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities.
In the past, many museums acquired art and other cultural objects through purchase or exchange, but today a lot of objects are donated to museums. These donations often come from private collectors. Some museums may also buy objects for their collections from the market, and they may borrow them from other museums or private collectors for short periods of time to show them in their exhibitions. Many museums also own art and other cultural objects that they don’t display at all, only keeping them in storage. These objects are called “research collections” and are available to researchers who request them.
Many museum visitors enjoy traveling back in time when they visit a museum and seeing things that were important to people from the past. They can learn about different cultures from all over the world and how their lives were similar or different to ours. Some museums have collections from the entire world, while others specialize in certain areas like natural history or art.
Some museums have exhibits that are interactive, so visitors can experience them in a hands-on way. For example, visitors to the National Museum of Natural History in Washington can learn about animals and plants through a virtual aquarium or touch a real meteorite. Other museums have special events for visitors that include lectures and other activities.
For example, a special event might be an opening of a new exhibition or a lecture by a well-known scientist. Museums may also have an interesting location or architecture that attracts visitors. For example, the Acropolis Museum in Athens is a beautiful building that was designed by Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi and Greek archaeologist Michail Photiadis. It is located above preserved and excavated ancient neighborhoods and is a popular tourist attraction.
The word museum is believed to have been derived from the Greek Mouseion, which was a place dedicated to the nine sister goddesses of art and science. They were later referred to as the Muses. The term then became Mouseion in Latin and Museum in English.
In the 21st century, museums are transforming to better serve their communities and society in general. They are incorporating more diversity, accessibility and sustainability in their work. For instance, some museums are addressing issues of decolonization and repatriation. Other museums are working to prevent climate change by promoting sustainable museum practices and displaying exhibits about the effects of our actions on the planet. Many of these museums have partnerships with other organizations and companies to help them achieve their goals. They also have volunteer programs that enable community members to get involved and help the museum.