A museum is an institution that collects, preserves, studies and communicates the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the benefit of the public. Museums are non-profit, nonpartisan organizations that serve the public and are open to all. They acquire, conserve, research, and display objects or works of art, science, history, culture, and natural history. Museums also educate and inspire. They inspire visitors to learn about the world around them and to become active citizens of their communities, and they help people of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures understand the past and their place in it.
Museums are important to the economy of many cities. They provide jobs and stimulate the local economy through visitor spending on tickets, food, gifts, and tours. They support research, education, and community development through partnerships with schools, universities, and other institutions. In addition, museums are often the anchors of cultural districts and historic neighborhoods. Museums are also important economic drivers in regions that have struggled economically and need to revitalize. The Bilbao Guggenheim, for example, helped bring a new lease on life to the city of Bilbao, Spain.
There are many different types of museums. Some museums specialize in one type of art, while others are dedicated to a specific time period or style. Some museums are focused on a certain aspect of history or culture, while others try to be as inclusive as possible by collecting objects from diverse communities around the world. The Acropolis Museum in Athens, for instance, includes galleries displaying ancient temples and settlement excavations as well as the Parthenon frieze.
As the museum movement evolved, a number of professional associations and societies were formed to coordinate and promote their work. These groups included professional associations for museum workers, and academies or schools for museum training and research. Museums began to be organized as part of government services or as independent nonprofit organizations.
Museums also have a variety of staff and volunteers who help make them run. Security personnel, janitors and custodians, curators, archivists, and historians all contribute to the success of a museum. Additionally, facility managers and fundraisers are responsible for making sure a museum is a welcoming and safe space for everyone. Finally, registrars manage the museum’s collections, so they know where every object is at all times, whether it is on display or in storage.
Regardless of the size and focus of a museum, all museums share the same fundamental mission: to connect with people, engage them in experiences that deepen their understanding of the world around them, and to inspire them to act on behalf of their shared heritage. Some museums, such as the Griffith Observatory and the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, have few or no artifacts but create memorable museum experiences that communicate information and foster understanding without the need for objects. Others, such as the National Holocaust Memorial in Washington, D.C. and the National Science Museum in London, use artifacts to tell compelling stories that are both moving and empowering.