museum
Americannoun
-
museums
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of museum
1605–15; < Latin mūsēum place sacred to the Muses, building devoted to learning or the arts (referring especially to the scholarly institute founded in Alexandria about 280 b.c.) < Greek Mouseîon, equivalent to Moûs ( a ) Muse + -eion suffix of place
Explanation
A museum is a place where interesting objects are displayed — like paintings, historical documents, and dinosaur skeletons. There are all kinds of museums. Art museums are some of the most well-known, such as the Louvre in Paris. The Natural History Museum, with its dinosaur skeletons and stuffed bears and lions, is one of New York's most famous. In Washington, DC, the Smithsonian is a group of impressive museums. Around the country, there are museums dedicated to sports, African-American culture, spies, and just about everything else. At any museum, you'll find a lot of tourists.
Vocabulary lists containing museum
"A Suitcase of Seaweed" and "Immigrants Today"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"We are shocked by what happened," she told Ansa, describing it as "a great loss for the museum, for the city, the community and the art world".
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
The discovery also highlights the new findings continuing to emerge from the Samuel Oschin Global Center for Ice Age Research at La Brea Tar Pits as the museum undergoes a historic transformation.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
In the AI-powered future Fogel envisions, the company will flag in advance whether it is going to rain the day of your boat tour or be sunny when you plan to go to the museum.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
The museum was among 30 science institutions across the country taking part in a campaign organised by the government to distribute two million pairs of glasses for free.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
She laid the gown neatly over a stunning Louis XV gilt wood armchair that would nowadays be in a museum.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
“Whether it’s going to see an orchestra show … museums or galleries, we really want to find ways to connect with those institutions.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
The findings demonstrate how valuable it can be to revisit unprepared specimens stored in museums and research collections.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026
Mala Wangzi has opened pop-up museums around the country, held more than 4,000 latiao-themed weddings for superfan couples, and sponsored e-sport events, music festivals, and animation conventions.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
As a teacher in Greater Manchester, Wilkes could hop on a tram to take pupils to museums and different workplaces, including the BBC at MediaCity in Salford, as part of the curriculum.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
He was a visual artist, as well, and his work was exhibited in museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
