When people think of a museum, they often envision grand buildings housing amazing art, artifacts, or objects. These museums showcase these collections to the public so that all can enjoy and learn from them. They also keep the collection in good condition, protect it from damage, and make it available for research or loaning to other museums for temporary exhibitions.
But that’s just a small part of what makes a museum. The major professional organizations from around the world offer different definitions of museum, but all include some combination of these functions:
1. Museums chronicle the past, depict the present and become touchstones for the future of their communities.
2. Museums are places where it is possible to see the whole story of human culture, including its diversity.
3. Museums serve the public by collecting, preserving, researching, interpreting and making accessible a wide range of cultural heritage for their educational, scientific, aesthetic, social, and economic benefits.
4. Museums are places that bring together people and objects to form meaningful connections. This is done by bringing together art, objects and communities to create a dynamic, immersive and transformative experience that makes museums relevant in today’s society.
5. Museums are institutions that act as catalysts for change, and encourage reflection, dialogue and active citizenship, through generating research and innovation, and by demonstrating the value of their heritage for society.
The word “museum” comes from the Greek words mousa (house of) and muse, which refer to nine goddesses of art and science. These were worshipped by the ancient Greeks, and when a place was dedicated to them and their arts and sciences, it became a “museion.” The word was later borrowed into Latin as musée, and then into English as museum.
A museum serves many purposes and has a variety of collections, but the most important role is to be a cultural heritage catalyst. Its collections are the building blocks of its legacy. Without them, it can’t continue to function.
6. Museums advance research in their specialty areas, and share this knowledge with others.
In addition to educating and entertaining the public, museums advance research in their fields, whether it’s art, natural history, anthropology, or Egyptology (to name just a few). They may sell or borrow objects to other museums for research or exhibits.
7. Museums support local economies through tourism and jobs.
Museums have been a part of local economies for as long as they have existed, and their employees and visitors help generate the income to continue to operate and develop them. Museums are also cultural ambassadors, and their stories can inspire people from other countries and regions to visit their hometowns and discover new cultures.
8. Museums are part of the civic infrastructure alongside libraries and hospitals.
Museums are things that local communities through their political systems decide to give legitimacy to, fund and maintain. They are part of the larger civic infrastructure that includes libraries, parks, and hospitals.