When people think of a museum, they often envision a place filled with dinosaur bones, shiny gold coins, and art that makes them think differently about society. However, museums offer so much more than that. Museums and cultural institutions around the world have perfected the craft of creating awe-inspiring experiences that delve into all aspects of history, culture, and even space. These institutions invite visitors to see things from a different perspective, and that is exactly what they are meant for.
The word “museum” itself has interesting origins. It was derived from the Greek term, mouseion, meaning seat of the Muses—a college of scholars that fostered philosophical discussion. It was then adopted by the Romans, who used it to refer to collections of artifacts, most notably those of the famous Alexandrian Museum that Ptolemy I Soter established early in the 3rd century BC.
While the responsibilities of museums vary, they share a core mission: to preserve and interpret our collective heritage and make it available for all. Today, the most popular museums in the world—such as the Vatican Museums and London’s Natural History Museum—have millions of visitors each year. But the word’s history also includes a darker side. In the late 19th century, Napoleon I confiscated art objects from cities he conquered, collecting them into his museums and using them as propaganda to fuel nationalistic fervor.
A museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development that researches, collects, conserves, communicates, and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage for education, enjoyment, and reflection. Museums are open to the public and accessible, operated and communicated ethically and professionally, with the active participation of communities.
The new ICOM definition, which was approved on August 24 during the ICOM Extraordinary General Assembly in Prague 2022, pushes museums to consider diverse perspectives and include all of humanity’s knowledge and stories in their work. Museums must take a more inclusive approach to their collections and engage with the diverse communities in their neighborhoods. This change is necessary because many museums exclude marginalized groups by collecting only what they consider important or treating them as passive recipients of their educational programming.
Museums also need to rethink the way they define what constitutes an artifact. The old definition supports the notion of “acquisition,” which, according to Merriam-Webster, means to get as one’s own. But this definition is outdated and problematic. It ignores the fact that museums collect objects based on their significance to their own communities, and it also divorces the object from its cultural context.
Some museums, such as the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, have very few artifacts but tell compelling stories or provide valuable information about their topics of focus. Other museums, such as the Alamo in Texas and the Giddings Stone Mansion in Brenham, are built on the principle of collecting a place itself. And some museums, such as the US National Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., use artifacts to create memorable exhibitions that resonate with their visitors.