A museum is a building full of treasures, whether art, scientific or historical, that is open to the public. Museums are often non-profit, which means they do not pay taxes and that money made is invested in the organization. This allows museums to serve as a kind of cultural repository, guarding the past for the future. Museums also chronicle the present, serving as touchstones for their communities. They operate, communicate and develop with diversity, inclusivity and sustainability in mind.
The word comes from the Greek Mouseion, which refers to a temple dedicated to one of the Nine Sisters Goddesses (Muses) of art and science. The ancients believed that these goddesses protected the arts and sciences from dangers. Museum in modern English has evolved from these Mouseion to an institution that displays objects of interest and promotes learning.
There are many kinds of museums. Some, like the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, use few objects in their exhibitions, instead relying on powerful storytelling or information interpreting. Others, such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., are awe-inspiring and powerful because they show the horrors of war and the power of memory. Regardless of the type of museum, all museums aim to inspire their visitors.
Typically, museums collect objects for their permanent display. They may also borrow some objects for temporary exhibitions. A museum’s collections are a living record of human civilization and the world around us, and a valuable source of research for academics and the general public. Some of these objects are very rare or precious, while other are familiar to most people. Museums are responsible for the preservation and maintenance of their objects, which requires a significant amount of funding.
As the field of museology has grown more serious about independent learning, deep audience engagement and participation, museums have been able to offer more inspirational experiences to their visitors. Increasingly, museums are not just about history or art; they are about telling stories that connect to people’s lives today.
Some museums are private, while others are state-supported or part of a university or other higher educational institution. Private museums usually have a board of trustees and are run by a professional staff. A nonprofit museum is a registered charity, and as such it is exempt from paying most taxes and can donate most of its income to charitable causes. A for-profit museum is a privately owned company that operates for profit.
The new definition of museum includes the following statement: “a not-for-profit, permanent institution in service to society and its development that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment.” It is the first time in 50 years that the International Council of Museums has revised its museum definition. The revised definition will be voted on by the ICOM General Conference in 2022. The new definition will help ICOM committees to establish their museum’s mission and activities, as well as to define their goals and strategies.