Museums are sanctuaries of knowledge, history and art; spaces where ancient cultures and contemporary works of art can be preserved and shared. Spending a few hours wandering through their hallowed halls is a great way to deepen our understanding of the world around us, from classical masterpieces to complex global conflicts and human history.
Museum are institutions in the service of society that research, collect, preserve, conserve, interpret and exhibit tangible and intangible heritage; open to all; free, transparent and participative; and aimed at contributing to human dignity, social justice, global equity and planetary wellbeing. Museums are non-profit, independent and public; they hold their collections in trust for the benefit of future generations.
People have collected objects for museums since the earliest days of civilization. Some of the oldest museum buildings in the world date back to the 200s bce and were created by wealthy people who wanted to share their art or historical artifacts with others. Other early museum buildings were established by religious groups who wanted to collect sacred artwork and artifacts. As museum building technology improved, many museums became centralized and more public. By the 1600s, wealthy people often sold their private collection of art or historical objects to museums. Museums continue to collect objects today, whether by purchase or donation. They also borrow or lend objects for special exhibitions. Museums also have collections of books and records and publish them in various forms to reach the broadest possible audience.
Many of the most visited museums in the world are art galleries, with the National Gallery of London being one of the most well-known. However, other museums focus on specific topics or art styles; for example the Science Museum in London is a popular destination for visitors interested in learning about the natural and scientific world. Some museums have very large collections and can take a long time to display them all, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Others specialize in a specific type of art or a period of history; for example the National Museum of Egypt, which has the largest collection of Egyptian art and artifacts in the world.
Unlike libraries, where the primary function is to store and provide access to information, museums use their collection of objects to teach. They do this through permanent and temporary exhibitions, publications, lectures and tours. Some museums also have outreach programs, such as school visits and children’s workshops. Museums work closely with researchers and other cultural institutions to advance the study of their subject area, such as art or science or a particular geographic region or culture.
A museum’s primary objectives are preservation and dissemination. Preservation includes the care of its collection and its facilities; this is a complex task that requires funding, staffing, conservation and preservation policies, and the creation of educational and other public services for their audiences. Dissemination includes the development of exhibitions, research, publications and other tools that allow them to reach a wider audience, such as websites, social media, and other public relations activities. Many museums also engage in advocacy for their mission, such as fighting against illicit trafficking or promoting the importance of museums to the public.