What is a Museum?

The museum is a not-for-profit institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. It is open to the public and operates and communicates ethically, professionally and with diversity and sustainability in mind. It is a place of education and enjoyment, where visitors can learn, reflect, connect and engage with the past to create a better future.

The word museum derives from the Greek verb (mouseion), which refers to a seat of the Muses and was used in Roman times as the name for an intellectual institution. Museum as a name was revived in the 15th century to describe the great library of the Medici family in Florence. In the 16th and 17th centuries the museum grew to be a major European cultural institution, collecting, preserving, researching, exhibiting and communicating.

Today museums are increasingly challenged to cede their institutional authority and shift their objective from transmitting expert knowledge to fostering dialogue and connection. This change is occurring both in response to demands from the public for greater equity and a desire to make more meaningful connections with their local communities. It is also a response to the growing evidence that cultural objects are not neutral and that the transmission of dominant narratives is a dangerous practice for both society and museums.

As museums grapple with these challenges they must be mindful of the way that their language can reinforce outdated, misunderstood and imperative lexicon. In particular, museums need to think carefully about the use of terms such as acquisition and to reconsider their understanding of the term permanent collection.

An example of this lexicon is the phrase: “the art museum must acquire, preserve, and present its collections, and in so doing, ensure that they continue to provide the scholarly community with the materials it needs.” The dictionary definition of acquisition is to gain ownership or control of something by purchase or other means. Often this is based on power and control over an object’s unique identity.

A permanent collection may be displayed in exhibitions at the museum. These special exhibitions, which are usually shown for weeks or months at a venue, are sometimes called installations. The museum’s website may have pages describing current, future or past exhibitions.

There are some museums which do not use any artifacts and therefore cannot be described as a museum; however, even those that do have collections can have exhibitions that are memorable and engaging for their audiences. Whether these exhibitions focus on the stories of individuals or the history of a specific region, they can be powerful and informative.