A museum is a building that houses treasures from the past. More than just a building, however, museums are intersections between collected things, information about those objects and experiences that people can have. Essentially, museums bring together people with passion for an area of history or culture and try to provide them with experiences that will lead them to better understand or appreciate it. Museums come in all shapes and sizes, from small local museums to large national institutions.
The word “museum” derives from the Greek mouseion, meaning “place of the Muses.” In ancient times, this meant a place dedicated to the arts and learning. By the late middle ages, the term had a more general meaning as a cultural institution. This was reinforced by the foundation of the great Museum of Alexandria in Egypt by Ptolemy I Soter in early 3rd century BCE. It was a prototype of a university and included both art collections and a library.
In modern times, museums have become global institutions with a wide range of goals. Some focus on research into the past and present, while others strive to be centers of education and community engagement in their areas. There are also a growing number of museums that focus on issues like preservation and conservation, as well as the broader social context of the objects in their collections.
All museums, regardless of their specific focus, need to be able to preserve and protect the objects they house. They also need to have the resources and expertise to communicate those objects to their visitors, whether through exhibits or programs. This can include anything from lectures and tutorials by museum staff to field trips for students, dance and music performances, films, and even technology demonstrations. Most museums have a staff of curators, who are responsible for the hands-on care and movement of objects and their associated documentation. They are typically overseen by the director of the museum, who in turn reports to a board of directors or a governing body.
The old definition of a museum supported many bad practices, including the display of artifacts with dubious origins and the failure to engage with non-western cultures when it came to their own collections. The new ICOM definition pushes museums to take a more inclusive approach to their work.
Despite these challenges, museums are still a vital part of the human experience. They show us how we have evolved as a species and can give insight into the world that surrounds us today. They are not only keepers of time, but are often the catalyst for change in the way that people see their environment. It is because of this that we need museums now more than ever before.