Museum

A museum is an institution which collects, documents, preserves, exhibits and interprets material evidence and associated information for the public benefit. Museums are formed all over the world. The purpose of a museum is education and to preserve art and history for future generations.

Museums enable people to explore collections for inspiration, learning and enjoyment. They are institutions that collect, safeguard and make accessible artifacts and specimens, which they hold in trust for society

What is the history behind the word museum?

In Greek mouseion means “seat of muses” and which specify a place of contemplation or philosophical institution. The word museum was revived in 15th-century Europe to describe the collection of Lorenzo de’ Medici in Florence, but the term conveyed the concept of comprehensiveness rather than denoting a building. By the 17th century museum was being used in Europe to describe collections of curiosities.

During 19^th and 20^th century the word museum refers a building housing cultural material to which the public had access.

Types of museums

There are different types of museums and some important museums are

v History Museums

v Art Museums

v Science Museums

v Natural history Museums

v Maritime Museums

v Military and war Museums

v Archaeology Museums

Object Collection by Museums

Each museum collect different objects, for example History museums collect the objects which describes the life and culture of ancient people, Art museums collect many types of art works, Science museums involves gathering of objects around scientific achievements and their history. Similarly every museum collects different objects according to their needs.

Distinctive mission of museum is to collect and preserve objects. Most museums add objects to their collections through gifts and bequests (objects given to museums upon a person’s death), primarily from individuals.

Some of the most famous museums in the world are

Ø The Museum of Modern Art in New York City

Ø The Vatican Museums in Rome

Ø The Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain

Ø The British Museum in London

Ø The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.