Difference between revisions of "Museum" - New World Encyclopedia

From New World Encyclopedia
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A '''museum'''(taken from the latin word,''mouseion'', which denotes a place or temple dedicated to the Muses) houses important historical artifacts for public viewing. People are allowed to view the exhibits for inspiration and knowledge. There are different types of museums all over the world, such as [[fine arts]], [[applied art]]s, [[craft]], [[archaeology]], [[anthropology]] and [[ethnology]], [[history]], [[cultural history]], [[military history]], [[science]], [[technology]], [[children's museum]]s, [[natural history]], [[numismatics]], [[botanical gardens|botanical]] and [[zoological garden]]s and [[philately]]. Many are famous landmarks. Some of the most famous include the Louvre, in Paris, The British Museum, and the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister Museum in Dresden, Germany. The Museums have a long history, dating back to Ancient Greece. Many early museums were often private, established by wealthy individuals and later made public. The purpose of the museum is to protect and conserve the different artifacts for the purpose of preservation.
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A '''museum''' (from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''mouseion'', which denotes a place or temple dedicated to the [[Muses]]) houses important historical artifacts for public viewing. People are allowed to view the exhibits for inspiration and knowledge. There are different types of museums all over the world, such as [[fine arts]], [[applied art]]s, [[craft]], [[archaeology]], [[anthropology]] and [[ethnology]], [[history]], [[cultural history]], [[military history]], [[science]], [[technology]], [[children's museum]]s, [[natural history]], [[numismatics]], [[botanical gardens|botanical]] and [[zoological garden]]s and [[philately]]. Many are famous landmarks. Some of the most famous include the [[Louvre]], in [[Paris]], the [[British Museum]], and the [[Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister Museum]] in [[Dresden]], [[Germany]]. Museums have a long history, dating back to [[Ancient Greece]]. Many early museums were often private, established by wealthy individuals and later made public. The purpose of museum is to protect and conserve the different artifacts that represent human history throughout the world, for the sake of human knowledge, understanding, and enjoyment of the [[beauty]] and wisdom of those of different cultures.  
 
[[Image:Louvre at night centered.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The [[Louvre|Louvre Museum]] in [[Paris]], one of the largest and most famous museums in the world.]]
 
[[Image:Louvre at night centered.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The [[Louvre|Louvre Museum]] in [[Paris]], one of the largest and most famous museums in the world.]]
 
== Definition ==
 
== Definition ==
 
[[Image:School children in Louvre.jpg|thumb|right|200px|School children in the [[Louvre]] ]]
 
[[Image:School children in Louvre.jpg|thumb|right|200px|School children in the [[Louvre]] ]]
  
A '''museum''' is typically a "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study, [[education]], [[entertainment|enjoyment]], the ''tangible and intangible'' evidence of people and their environment."  This definition is taken from the [[International Council of Museums]] [http://icom.museum/ (ICOM) Statutes].  
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The English '''museum''' comes from the [[Latin]] word, and is pluralized as "museums" (or, rarely, "musea"). It is originally from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''mouseion'', which denotes a place or temple dedicated to the [[Muses]] (the patron divinities in [[Greek mythology]] of the arts), and hence a building set apart for study and the arts, especially the [[Musaeum|institute]] for [[philosophy]] and research at the [[Library of Alexandria|Library]] established at [[Alexandria]] by [[Ptolemy I  Soter]] c280 B.C.E.. This was considered by many to be the first museum/[[library]].
  
According to the Museums Association, museums enable people to explore collections for inspiration, learning and enjoyment. They are institutions that collect, safeguard and make accessible artifacts and specimens, which they hold in trust for society. <ref> The Museums Association. 1998. [http://www.museumsassociation.org/faq&_IXPOS_=mahead7 What is a Museum?] Retrieved June 14, 2007. </ref> The English "museum" comes from the [[Latin]] word, and is pluralized as "museums" (or, rarely, "musea"). It is originally from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''mouseion'', which denotes a place or temple dedicated to the [[Muses]] (the patron divinities in [[Greek mythology]] of the arts), and hence a building set apart for study and the arts, especially the [[Musaeum|institute]] for [[philosophy]] and research at the [[Library of Alexandria|Library]] established at [[Alexandria]] by [[Ptolemy I  Soter]] c280 B.C.E. This was considered by many to be the first museum/[[library]].
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According to the [[International Council of Museums]], a museum is a "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study, education, enjoyment, the ''tangible and intangible'' evidence of people and their environment."<ref> [http://icom.museum/ (ICOM) Statutes] Retrieved June 23, 2007.</ref>
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According to the Museums Association, museums enable people to explore collections for inspiration, learning, and enjoyment. They are institutions that collect, safeguard, and make accessible artifacts and specimens, which they hold in trust for society.<ref> The Museums Association. 1998. [http://www.museumsassociation.org/faq&_IXPOS_=mahead7 What is a Museum?] Retrieved June 14, 2007. </ref>  
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
 
[[Image:Uffizi Hallway.jpg|thumb|left|250px| ''Galleria degli Uffizi'' in [[Florence]], [[Italy]] is one of the oldest and most famous [[art]] museums in the world.]]
 
[[Image:Uffizi Hallway.jpg|thumb|left|250px| ''Galleria degli Uffizi'' in [[Florence]], [[Italy]] is one of the oldest and most famous [[art]] museums in the world.]]
In ancient Greece a museum, originally a place connected with the Muses, sometimes in a religious sense but more usually as a place where the arts and learning were cultivated. Thus ‘museum’ came to mean a place of education, connected with the Muses. Euripides describes the places where birds sing as mouseia. The most famous museum was that of Alexandria in Egypt, founded by Ptolemy I Soter (ruled 323–283 B.C.E.) possibly on the advice of the Athenian Demetrius of Phalerum. It was distinct from the Library, and housed scholars who were supported by the Ptolemies and, after Egypt came under Roman control, by the emperors. There is no evidence that there was provision for formal teaching, but lectures were given and there were many discussions which even the kings might attend; Cleopatra, the last independent ruler of Egypt, is reputed to have done so. After the foundation of Constantinople in AD 324 many of the Museum scholars are said to have retreated there to avoid the theological controversies of Alexandria. The last member of the Museum to be mentioned explicitly is Theon the mathematician, father of Hypatia, c. AD 400. Dinners with clever conversation were a characteristic institution of the Museum; a poet of the third century B.C.E. described it as the ‘hen-coop of the Muses’. <ref> The Concise Oxford Companion to Classical Literature. 2003. [http://www.answers.com/topic/museum Museum.] Oxford University Press. Retrieved June 14, 2007. </ref>
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In [[ancient Greece]] a museum, originally a place connected with the [[Muses]], sometimes in a [[religion|religious]] sense but more usually as a place where the [[arts]] and [[learning]] were cultivated. Thus "museum" came to mean a place of [[education]], connected with the Muses.  
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[[Euripides]] describes the places where [[bird]]s sing as "mouseia." The most famous museum was that of Alexandria in Egypt, founded by Ptolemy I Soter (ruled 323–283 B.C.E.) possibly on the advice of the Athenian Demetrius of Phalerum. It was distinct from the Library, and housed scholars who were supported by the Ptolemies and, after Egypt came under Roman control, by the emperors. There is no evidence that there was provision for formal teaching, but lectures were given and there were many discussions which even the kings might attend; [[Cleopatra]], the last independent ruler of Egypt, is reputed to have done so. After the foundation of [[Constantinople]] in 324 C.E. many of the Museum scholars are said to have retreated there to avoid the theological controversies of Alexandria. The last member of the Museum to be mentioned explicitly is Theon the mathematician, father of Hypatia, c. 400 C.E. Dinners with clever conversation were a characteristic institution of the Museum; a poet of the third century B.C.E. described it as the "hen-coop of the Muses."<ref> ''The Concise Oxford Companion to Classical Literature''. 2003. [http://www.answers.com/topic/museum Museum.] Oxford University Press. Retrieved June 14, 2007. </ref>
  
Early museums began as the private collections of wealthy individuals, families or institutions of art and rare or curious natural objects and [[artifact (archaeology)|artifacts]]. These were often displayed in so-called wonder rooms or [[cabinet of curiosities|cabinets of curiosities]]. Public access was often possible for the "respectable," especially to private art collections, but at the whim of the owner and his staff.  
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Early museums began as the private collections of wealthy individuals, families, or institutions of art and rare or curious natural objects and artifacts. These were often displayed in so-called wonder rooms or [[cabinet of curiosities|cabinets of curiosities]]. Public access was often possible for the "respectable," especially to private art collections, but at the whim of the owner and his staff.  
  
The first public museums in the world opened in [[Europe]] during the 18th century's [[Age of Enlightenment]]:
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The first public museums in the world opened in [[Europe]] during the eighteenth century's [[Age of Enlightenment]]:
 
*the [[Museo Sacro]], the first museum in the [[Vatican Museums]] complex, was opened in [[Rome]] in 1756
 
*the [[Museo Sacro]], the first museum in the [[Vatican Museums]] complex, was opened in [[Rome]] in 1756
 
*the [[British Museum]] in [[London]], was founded in 1753 and opened to the public in 1759.  Sir Isaac Sloan's personal collection of curios provided the initial foundation for the British Museum's collection.
 
*the [[British Museum]] in [[London]], was founded in 1753 and opened to the public in 1759.  Sir Isaac Sloan's personal collection of curios provided the initial foundation for the British Museum's collection.
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*the [[Belvedere (palace)|Belvedere Palace]] of the [[Habsburg]] monarchs in [[Vienna]] opened with an outstanding collection of art in 1781
 
*the [[Belvedere (palace)|Belvedere Palace]] of the [[Habsburg]] monarchs in [[Vienna]] opened with an outstanding collection of art in 1781
 
[[Image:800px-British Museum Reading Room Panorama Feb 2006.jpg|thumb|right|350px|The circular Reading Room of the [[British Museum]]. Despite being amongst the most famous rooms in the world, until December 2000  it was accessible only to those with a Reader's ticket.]]
 
[[Image:800px-British Museum Reading Room Panorama Feb 2006.jpg|thumb|right|350px|The circular Reading Room of the [[British Museum]]. Despite being amongst the most famous rooms in the world, until December 2000  it was accessible only to those with a Reader's ticket.]]
These "public" museums, however, were often accessible only by the middle and upper classes. It could be difficult to gain entrance. In London for example, prospective visitors to the British Museum had to apply in writing for admission. Even by 1800 it was possible to have to wait two weeks for an admission ticket. Visitors in small groups were limited to stays of two hours.
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These "public" museums, however, were often accessible only by the middle and upper [[social class|classes]]. It could be difficult to gain entrance. In London for example, prospective visitors to the British Museum had to apply in writing for admission. Even by 1800 it was possible to have to wait two weeks for an admission ticket. Visitors in small groups were limited to stays of two hours.
  
The first truly public museum was the [[Louvre|Louvre Museum]] in [[Paris]], opened in 1793 during the [[French Revolution]], which enabled for the first time in history free access to the former French royal collections for people of all stations and status. The fabulous art treasures collected by the French monarchy over centuries were accessible to the public three days each ''décade'' (the 10-day unit which had replaced the week in the [[French Republican Calendar]]). The ''Conservatoire du muséum national des Arts'' (National Museum of Arts's Conservatory) was charged with organizing the Louvre as a national public museum and the centerpiece of a planned national museum system. As [[Napoléon I]] conquered the great cities of Europe, confiscating art objects as he went, the collections grew and the organizational task became more and more complicated. After Napoleon was defeated in 1815, many of the treasures he had amassed were gradually returned to their owners (and many were not). His plan was never fully realized, but his concept of a museum as an agent of nationalistic fervor had a profound influence throughout Europe. <ref name=Carbonell> Carbonell, Mettina Bessias. 2003. Museum Studies: An Anthology of Contexts. Blackwell Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-0631228301. Retrieved June 14, 2007. </ref>
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The first truly public museum was the [[Louvre|Louvre Museum]] in [[Paris]], opened in 1793 during the [[French Revolution]], which enabled for the first time in history free access to the former French royal collections for people of all stations and status. The fabulous art treasures collected by the French monarchy over centuries were accessible to the public three days each ''décade'' (the 10-day unit which had replaced the week in the [[French Republican Calendar]]). The ''Conservatoire du muséum national des Arts'' (National Museum of Arts' Conservatory) was charged with organizing the Louvre as a national public museum and the centerpiece of a planned national museum system. As [[Napoléon I]] conquered the great cities of Europe, confiscating art objects as he went, the collections grew and the organizational task became more and more complicated. After Napoleon was defeated in 1815, many of the treasures he had amassed were gradually returned to their owners (and many were not). His plan was never fully realized, but his concept of a museum as an agent of nationalistic fervor had a profound influence throughout Europe.<ref name=Carbonell> Mettina Bessias Carbonell, ''Museum Studies: An Anthology of Contexts''. (Blackwell Publishing Limited 2003 ISBN 978-0631228301) </ref>
  
American museums eventually joined European museums as the world's leading centers for the production of new knowledge in their fields of interest. A period of intense museum building, in both an intellectual and physical sense was realized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (this is often called "The Museum Period" or "The Museum Age"). While many American museums, both Natural History museums and Art museums alike, were founded with the intention of focusing on the scientific discoveries and artistic developments in North America, many moved to emulate their European counterparts in certain ways (including the development of Classical collections from ancient Egypt, Greece, Mesopotamia and Rome). It is typically understood that universities took the place of museums as the centers for innovative research in the United States well before the start of the Second World War, however, museums to this day contribute new knowledge to their fields and continue to build collections that are useful for both research and display.
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American museums eventually joined European museums as the world's leading centers for the production of new knowledge in their fields of interest. A period of intense museum building, in both an intellectual and physical sense was realized in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (called "The Museum Period" or "The Museum Age"). While many American museums, both Natural History museums and Art museums alike, were founded with the intention of focusing on the scientific discoveries and artistic developments in North America, many moved to emulate their European counterparts in certain ways (including the development of Classical collections from ancient Egypt, Greece, Mesopotamia and Rome). It is typically understood that universities took the place of museums as the centers for innovative research in the United States well before the start of the [[Second World War]], however, museums to this day contribute new knowledge to their fields and continue to build collections that are useful for both research and display.
  
 
== Purpose of Museums ==
 
== Purpose of Museums ==
  
Museums collect and care for objects of scientific, artistic, or historical importance and make them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Large museums are located in major cities throughout the world and more local ones exist in small cities. Most museums offer programs and activities for a range of audiences, including adults, children, and families, as well as those for more specific professions. Programs for the public may consist of [[lecture]]s or tutorials by the museum faculty or field experts, films, musical or dance performances, and technology demonstrations. Many times, museums concentrate on the host region's [[culture]]. Although most museums do not allow physical contact with the associated artifacts, there are some that are interactive and encourage a more hands-on approach. Modern trends in [[museology]] have broadened the range of subject matter and introduced many [[interactive exhibit]]s, which give the public the opportunity to make choices and engage in activities that may vary the experience from person to person. With the advent of the [[internet]], there are growing numbers of [[virtual exhibits]], i.e. web versions of exhibits showing images and playing recorded sound.<ref> Various Authors. 2006. Museum Frictions: Public Cultures/Global Transformations. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0822338949. Retrieved June 14, 2007. </ref>
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Museums collect and care for objects of scientific, artistic, or historical importance and make them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Large museums are located in major cities throughout the world and more local ones exist in small cities. Most museums offer programs and activities for a range of audiences, including adults, children, and families, as well as those for more specific professions. Programs for the public may consist of [[lecture]]s or tutorials by the museum faculty or field experts, [[film]]s, [[music]]al or [[dance]] performances, and [[technology]] demonstrations. Many times, museums concentrate on the host region's [[culture]]. Although most museums do not allow physical contact with the associated artifacts, there are some that are interactive and encourage a more hands-on approach.  
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Modern trends in [[museology]] have broadened the range of subject matter and introduced many [[interactive exhibit]]s, which give the public the opportunity to make choices and engage in activities that may vary the experience from person to person. With the advent of the [[internet]], there are growing numbers of [[virtual exhibits]], web versions of exhibits showing images and playing recorded sound.<ref> Various Authors. 2006. Museum Frictions: Public Cultures/Global Transformations. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0822338949. Retrieved June 14, 2007. </ref>
 
[[Image:Kunsthaus-Graz-Nacht-Medienfassade.jpg|thumb|right|The Kunsthaus Graz museum built as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2003 and has become an architectural landmark in Graz, [[Austria]].]]
 
[[Image:Kunsthaus-Graz-Nacht-Medienfassade.jpg|thumb|right|The Kunsthaus Graz museum built as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2003 and has become an architectural landmark in Graz, [[Austria]].]]
The design of museums has evolved throughout history. Interpretive museums, as opposed to art museums, have missions reflecting curatorial guidance through the subject matter which now include content in the form of images, audio and visual effects, and interactive exhibits. Some of these experiences have very few or no artifacts; the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, being notable examples where there are few artifacts, but have strong, memorable stories to tell or information to interpret. In contrast, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC uses many artifacts in their memorable exhibitions. Notable international [[museum exhibition designer]]s include [[Ralph Appelbaum Associates]], [[C&G Partners]], [[ESI Design]], [[Burdick Group]].
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The design of museums has evolved throughout history. Interpretive museums, as opposed to art museums, have missions reflecting curatorial guidance through the subject matter which now include content in the form of images, audio and visual effects, and interactive exhibits. Some of these experiences have very few or no artifacts; the National Constitution Center in [[Philadelphia]], the Griffith Observatory in [[Los Angeles]], being notable examples where there are few artifacts, but have strong, memorable stories to tell or information to interpret. In contrast, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC uses many artifacts in their memorable exhibitions. Notable international museum exhibition designers include [[Ralph Appelbaum Associates]], [[C&G Partners]], [[ESI Design]], and the [[Burdick Group]].
  
Museums are usually open to the general public, sometimes charging a [[Fee|admission fee]]. Some museums have free entrance, either permanently or on special days, e.g. once per week or year. They are usually not run for the purpose of making a [[profit]], unlike [[art gallery|galleries]] which engage in the sale of objects. There are governmental museums, non-governmental, [[non-profit]] museums, and privately owned or family museums.
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Museums are usually open to the general public, sometimes charging an admission fee. Some museums have free entrance, either permanently or on special days, such as once per week or year. They are usually not run for the purpose of making a [[profit]], unlike [[art gallery|galleries]] which engage in the sale of objects. There are governmental museums, non-governmental, [[non-profit]] museums, and privately owned or family museums.
 
[[Image:Muzeh Farsh.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[The Carpet Museum of Iran]], [[Tehran]]]]
 
[[Image:Muzeh Farsh.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[The Carpet Museum of Iran]], [[Tehran]]]]
Museums function as houses that collect and exhibit [[culture]]. They are effectively cultural bookmarks, taking pieces of [[art]], culture, [[history]], and [[science]] and marking their glory in a location that the general public can view. Museums celebrate human culture and our ability to understand the world around us, such as in science history museums. At one point in time, museums aimed at a particular constituency. However with the rise of the information age and [[globalization]], more diverse people are coming to see what is housed in museums. Many countries have museums celebrating not just human accomplishment, but the accomplishments and history of their own country as a form of nationalism. <ref>I. Karp, ''Museums and Communities'', (Smithsonian 1992 ISBN 156098189X)</ref>
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Museums function as houses that collect and exhibit [[culture]]. They are effectively cultural bookmarks, taking pieces of [[art]], culture, [[history]], and [[science]] and marking their glory in a location that the general public can view. Museums celebrate human culture and our ability to understand the world around us, such as in science history museums. At one point in time, museums aimed at a particular constituency. However with the rise of the information age and [[globalization]], more diverse people are coming to see what is housed in museums. Many countries have museums celebrating not just human accomplishment, but the accomplishments and history of their own country as a form of [[nationalism]].<ref>I. Karp, ''Museums and Communities'', (Smithsonian 1992 ISBN 156098189X)</ref>
  
Museums and their upkeeping are important because they are records of a timeline. History is often studied to learn from past mistakes and for knowledge. Many [[artifacts]] in museums are extremely old and must be handled with utmost care or they will be damaged. Different types of museums celebrate different aspects of human culture. Not all museums have the same objects: an aviation museum cannot house an [[artifact]] that belongs to a natural science museum, however, it can barter with other museums for a piece that does belong in its exhibits. Many museums are now putting samples of their exhibits online in a virtual tour. This allows people to get a taste for what they are going to see before they actually arrive at the museum, helping them better plan what to see and what to avoid.
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Museums and their upkeeping are important because they are records of a timeline. [[History]] is often studied to learn from past mistakes as well as for knowledge. Many [[artifact]]s in museums are extremely old and must be handled with utmost care or they will be damaged. Different types of museums celebrate different aspects of human culture. Not all museums have the same objects: an aviation museum cannot house an artifact that belongs to a natural science museum, however, it may [[barter]] with other museums for a piece that does belong in its exhibits. Many museums are now putting samples of their exhibits online in a virtual tour. This allows people to get a taste for what they are going to see before they actually arrive at the museum, helping them better plan what to see.
  
Museums are keepers of time. Walking through the halls of a museum is walking through the history of the human race. A visitor can get a small glimpse of how [[humans]] have evolved and how humans have interacted with the world around them throughout time. Museums keep tabs on the evolution of humanity and the world around us, and objects that many look at as common today may be exhibits of museums in the future.
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Museums are keepers of time. Walking through the halls of a museum is walking through the history of the human race. A visitor can get a small glimpse of how [[human beings]] have evolved and how humans have interacted with the world around them throughout time. Museums keep tabs on the evolution of humanity and the world around us, and objects that many look at as common today may be exhibits of museums in the future.
  
 
==Management==
 
==Management==
The museum is usually run by a [[executive director|director]], who has a curatorial staff that cares for the objects and arranges their display. Large museums often will have a research division or institute, which are frequently involved with studies related to the museum's items, as well as an education department, in charge of providing interpretation of the materials to the general public. The director usually reports to a higher body, such as a governmental department or a [[board of trustees]].
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The museum is usually run by a [[executive director|director]], who has a curatorial staff that cares for the objects and arranges their display. Large museums often will have a research division or institute, which are frequently involved with studies related to the museum's items, as well as an education department, in charge of providing interpretation of the materials to the general public. The director usually reports to a higher body, such as a governmental department or a [[board of trustees]].
  
Objects come to the collection through a variety of means. Either the museum itself or an associated institute may organize expeditions to acquire more items or documentation for the museum. More typically, however, museums will purchase or trade for artifacts or receive them as donations or bequests.
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Objects come to the collection through a variety of means. Either the museum itself or an associated institute may organize expeditions to acquire more items or documentation for the museum. Museums may also purchase or [[trade]] for artifacts, or receive them as donations or bequests.
 
[[Image:Tretyakovgallery.jpg|left|200px|thumb|[[Tretyakov Gallery|State Tretyakov Gallery]] in [[Moscow]].]]
 
[[Image:Tretyakovgallery.jpg|left|200px|thumb|[[Tretyakov Gallery|State Tretyakov Gallery]] in [[Moscow]].]]
For instance, a museum featuring [[Impressionism|Impressionist]] art may receive a donation of a [[Cubism|Cubist]] work which simply cannot be fit into the museum's exhibits, but it can be used to help acquire a painting more central to the museum's focus. However, this process of acquiring objects outside the museum's purview in order to acquire more desirable objects is considered unethical by many museum professionals. Larger museums may have an "Acquisitions Department" whose staff is engaged fulltime in this kind of activity. Most museums have a [[collections policy]] to help guide what is and is not included in the collection.
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For instance, a museum featuring [[Impressionism|Impressionist]] art may receive a donation of a [[Cubism|Cubist]] work which simply cannot be fit into the museum's exhibits, but it can be used to help acquire a painting more central to the museum's focus. However, this process of acquiring objects outside the museum's purview in order to acquire more desirable objects is considered unethical by many museum professionals. Larger museums may have an "Acquisitions Department" whose staff is engaged fulltime in this activity. Most museums have a [[collections policy]] to help guide what is and is not included in the collection.
  
 
Museums often cooperate to sponsor joint, often traveling, exhibits on particular subjects when one museum may not by itself have a collection sufficiently large or important. These exhibits have limited engagements and often depend upon an additional entry fee from the public to cover costs.
 
Museums often cooperate to sponsor joint, often traveling, exhibits on particular subjects when one museum may not by itself have a collection sufficiently large or important. These exhibits have limited engagements and often depend upon an additional entry fee from the public to cover costs.
  
 
== Types of museums ==
 
== Types of museums ==
There are very many types of museums, from very large collections in major cities, covering many of the categories below, to very small museums covering either a particular location in a general way, or a particular subject, such an individual notable person. Categories include: [[fine arts]], [[applied art]]s, [[craft]], [[archaeology]], [[anthropology]] and [[ethnology]], [[history]], [[cultural history]], [[military history]], [[science]], [[technology]], [[children's museum]]s, [[natural history]], [[numismatics]], [[botanical gardens|botanical]] and [[zoological garden]]s and [[philately]]. Within these categories many museums specialize further, e.g. museums of [[modern art]], local history, [[aviation]] history, [[agriculture]] or [[geology]]. A museum normally houses a core collection of important selected objects in its field. Objects are formally [[accession|accessioned]] by being registered in the museum's collection with an artifact number and details recorded about their [[provenance]]. The persons in charge of the collection and of the exhibits are known as [[curator]]s. <ref name=Carbonell/>
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There are very many types of museums, from very large collections in major cities, covering many of the categories below, to very small museums covering either a particular location in a general way, or a particular subject, such an individual notable person. Categories include: [[fine arts]], [[applied art]]s, [[craft]], [[archaeology]], [[anthropology]] and [[ethnology]], [[history]], [[cultural history]], [[military history]], [[science]], [[technology]], [[children's museum]]s, [[natural history]], [[numismatics]], [[botanical gardens|botanical]] and [[zoological garden]]s and [[philately]]. Within these categories many museums specialize further, such as museums of [[modern art]], local history, [[aviation]] history, [[agriculture]] or [[geology]]. A museum normally houses a core collection of important selected objects in its field. Objects are formally [[accession|accessioned]] by being registered in the museum's collection with an artifact number and details recorded about their [[provenance]]. The persons in charge of the collection and of the exhibits are known as [[curator]]s.<ref name=Carbonell/>
  
 
[[Image:Shaanxi History Museum.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The [[Shaanxi History Museum]] located in [[Xi'an]], [[China]], houses over 300,000 items.]]  
 
[[Image:Shaanxi History Museum.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The [[Shaanxi History Museum]] located in [[Xi'an]], [[China]], houses over 300,000 items.]]  
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History museums cover the knowledge of [[history]] and its relevance to the present and future. Some cover specialized aspects of history or a particular locality; others are more general. Such museums contain a wide range of objects, including documents, artifacts of all kinds, art, archaeological objects. [[Antiquities museum]]s specialize in more archaeological findings.
 
History museums cover the knowledge of [[history]] and its relevance to the present and future. Some cover specialized aspects of history or a particular locality; others are more general. Such museums contain a wide range of objects, including documents, artifacts of all kinds, art, archaeological objects. [[Antiquities museum]]s specialize in more archaeological findings.
  
A common type of history museum is a [[historic house]]. A historic house may be a building of special architectural interest, the birthplace or home of a famous person, or a house with an interesting history. [[Historic site]]s can also become museums, particularly those that mark [[public crimes]], such as [[Tuol Sleng]] or [[Robben Island]].
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A common type of history museum is a [[historic house]]. A historic house may be a building of special architectural interest, the birthplace or home of a famous person, or a house with an interesting history. [[Historic site]]s can also become museums, particularly those that mark public [[crime]]s, such as [[Tuol Sleng]] or [[Robben Island]].
  
Another type of history museum is a [[living museum]]. A living museum is where people recreate a time period to the fullest extent, including buildings, clothes and language. It is similar to [[historical reenactment]].
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Another type of history museum is a [[living museum]], where people recreate a time period to the fullest extent, including buildings, clothes and language. It is similar to [[historical reenactment]].
  
 
[[Image:Nationalgallery.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The [[National Gallery, London|National Gallery]] in [[London]], a famous museum.]]
 
[[Image:Nationalgallery.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The [[National Gallery, London|National Gallery]] in [[London]], a famous museum.]]
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[[Image:WinterPalaceAndAC.jpg|thumb|right|250px|View of the [[Winter Palace]], home of the [[Hermitage Museum]], from the [[Palace Square]].]]
 
[[Image:WinterPalaceAndAC.jpg|thumb|right|250px|View of the [[Winter Palace]], home of the [[Hermitage Museum]], from the [[Palace Square]].]]
The first publicly owned museum in Europe was the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. While initially conceived as a a palace for the offices of Florentian magistrates (hence the name), it later evolved into a display place for many of the paintings and sculpture collected by the Medici family or commissioned by them. After the house of Medici was extinguished, the art treasures remained in Florence, forming the first modern museums. The gallery had been open to visitors by request since the sixteenth century, and in 1765 it was officially opened to the public.  
+
The first publicly owned museum in Europe was the Uffizi Gallery in [[Florence]]. While initially conceived as a a palace for the offices of Florentian magistrates (hence the name), it later evolved into a display place for many of the paintings and sculpture collected by the Medici family or commissioned by them. After the house of Medici was extinguished, the art treasures remained in Florence, forming the first modern museums. The gallery had been open to visitors by request since the sixteenth century, and in 1765 it was officially opened to the public.  
  
 
The specialized art museum is considered a fairly modern [[invention]], the first being the [[Hermitage Museum|Hermitage]] in [[Saint Petersburg|St. Petersburg]] which was established in 1764.  
 
The specialized art museum is considered a fairly modern [[invention]], the first being the [[Hermitage Museum|Hermitage]] in [[Saint Petersburg|St. Petersburg]] which was established in 1764.  
The [[Louvre]] in [[Paris]], [[France]] was established in 1793, soon after the [[French Revolution]] when the royal treasures were declared for the people. The [[Czartoryski Museum]] in [[Kraków]] was established in 1796 by Princess [[Izabela Czartoryska]]. This showed the beginnings of removing art collections from the private domain of aristocracy and the wealthy into the public sphere, where they were seen as sites for educating the masses in taste and cultural refinement.
+
The [[Louvre]] in [[Paris]], [[France]] was established in 1793, soon after the [[French Revolution]] when the royal treasures were declared for the people. The [[Czartoryski Museum]] in [[Kraków]] was established in 1796 by Princess [[Izabela Czartoryska]]. This showed the beginnings of removing art collections from the private domain of [[aristocracy]] and the wealthy into the public sphere, where they were seen as sites for educating the masses in taste and cultural refinement.
  
 
===Science museums===
 
===Science museums===
 
[[Image:Guayaquil IMAX LasPenas.JPG|thumb|250px|left|An [[IMAX]] dome in [[Guayaquil, Ecuador]].]]
 
[[Image:Guayaquil IMAX LasPenas.JPG|thumb|250px|left|An [[IMAX]] dome in [[Guayaquil, Ecuador]].]]
[[Science museum]]s and technology centers revolve around scientific marvels and their history. To explain complicated inventions, a combination  of demonstrations, interactive programs and thought-provoking media are used. Some museums may have exhibits on topics such as [[computer]]s, [[aviation]], [[physics]], [[astronomy]], and the [[animal kingdom]]. Science museums, in particular, may consist of [[planetarium|planetaria]], or large theatre usually built around a dome. Museums may have [[IMAX]] feature films, which may provide [[3-D film|3-D]] viewing or higher quality picture. As a result, IMAX content provides a more immersive experience for people of all ages.
+
[[Science museum]]s and technology centers revolve around scientific marvels and their history. To explain complicated inventions, a combination  of demonstrations, interactive programs and thought-provoking media are used. Some museums may have exhibits on topics such as [[computer]]s, [[aviation]], [[physics]], [[astronomy]], and the [[animal kingdom]]. Science museums, in particular, may consist of [[planetarium|planetaria]], or large theater usually built around a dome. Museums may have [[IMAX]] feature films, which may provide [[3-D film|3-D]] viewing or higher quality picture. As a result, IMAX content provides a more immersive experience for people of all ages.
  
 
===Natural history museums===
 
===Natural history museums===
 
[[Image:National Museum of Natural History.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The [[National Museum of Natural History]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]]]
 
[[Image:National Museum of Natural History.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The [[National Museum of Natural History]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]]]
Museums of [[natural history]] and [[natural science]] typically exhibit work of the natural world. The focus lies on nature and culture. Exhibitions may educate the masses about dinosaurs, ancient history, and anthropology. Evolution, environmental issues, and biodiversity are major areas in natural science museums. Notable museums of this type include the [[Natural History Museum]] in [[London]], the [[Oxford University Museum of Natural History]] in [[Oxford]], the [[Muséum national d'histoire naturelle]] in [[Paris]], the [[Smithsonian Institution]]'s [[National Museum of Natural History]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], the [[American Museum of Natural History]] in [[New York City]], the [[Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology]] in [[Drumheller, Alberta]], and the [[Field Museum of Natural History]] in [[Chicago]].
+
Museums of [[natural history]] and [[natural science]] typically exhibit work of the natural world. The focus lies on nature and culture. Exhibitions may educate the masses about [[dinosaur]]s, ancient history, and [[anthropology]]. [[Evolution]], environmental issues, and biodiversity are major areas in natural science museums. Notable museums of this type include the [[Natural History Museum]] in [[London]], the [[Oxford University Museum of Natural History]] in [[Oxford]], the [[Muséum national d'histoire naturelle]] in [[Paris]], the [[Smithsonian Institution]]'s [[National Museum of Natural History]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], the [[American Museum of Natural History]] in [[New York City]], the [[Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology]] in [[Drumheller, Alberta]], and the [[Field Museum of Natural History]] in [[Chicago]].
  
 
===Zoos and Zoological Gardens===
 
===Zoos and Zoological Gardens===
 
{{Main|Zoo}}
 
{{Main|Zoo}}
Although zoos are not often thought of as museums, they are considered "living museums." They exist for the same purpose as other museums: to educate, inspire action, study, and preserve a collection. Notable zoos include the [[Wildlife Conservation Society Zoos]] in [[New York]], [[London Zoo]], the [[San Diego Zoo]], [[Berlin Zoo]], [[Taronga Zoo]] in [[Sydney]], [[Australia]], [[Frankfurt Zoo]] and [[Zoo Zurich]] in [[Switzerland]].
+
Although zoos are not often thought of as museums, they may be considered "living museums." They exist for the same purpose as other museums: to educate, inspire action, study, and preserve a collection. Notable zoos include the [[Wildlife Conservation Society Zoos]] in [[New York]], [[London Zoo]], the [[San Diego Zoo]], [[Berlin Zoo]], [[Taronga Zoo]] in [[Sydney]], [[Australia]], [[Frankfurt Zoo]] and [[Zoo Zurich]] in [[Switzerland]].
  
 
===Open air museums===
 
===Open air museums===
 
[[Image:Farmhouse_museum.JPG|thumb|left|250px|An old [[farmhouse]] at the ''Salzburger Freilichtmuseum'' in Großgmain near [[Salzburg (city)|Salzburg]] ([[:Image:Farmhouse museum.JPG|details]])]]
 
[[Image:Farmhouse_museum.JPG|thumb|left|250px|An old [[farmhouse]] at the ''Salzburger Freilichtmuseum'' in Großgmain near [[Salzburg (city)|Salzburg]] ([[:Image:Farmhouse museum.JPG|details]])]]
  
[[Open air museum]]s collect and re-erect old buildings at large outdoor sites, usually in settings of re-created landscapes of the past. The first one was [[Oscar II of Sweden|King Oscar II]]'s collection near [[Oslo]] in [[Norway]], opened in 1881. In 1891 [[Arthur Hazelius]] founded the famous [[Skansen]] in [[Stockholm]], which became the model for subsequent open air museums in [[Northern Europe|Northern]] and [[Eastern Europe]], and eventually in other parts of the world. Most open air museums are located in regions where wooden architecture prevail, as wooden structures may be translocated without substantial loss of authenticity. A more recent but related idea is realized in the [[ecomuseum]]s, which originated in [[France]].
+
[[Open air museum]]s collect and re-erect old buildings at large outdoor sites, usually in settings of re-created landscapes of the past. The first one was [[Oscar II of Sweden|King Oscar II]]'s collection near [[Oslo]] in [[Norway]], opened in 1881. In 1891 [[Arthur Hazelius]] founded the famous [[Skansen]] in [[Stockholm]], which became the model for subsequent open air museums in [[Northern Europe|Northern]] and [[Eastern Europe]], and eventually in other parts of the world. Most open air museums are located in regions where wooden [[architecture]] prevailed, as wooden structures may be translocated without substantial loss of authenticity. A more recent but related idea is realized in the [[ecomuseum]]s, which originated in [[France]].
  
 
===Other museums===
 
===Other museums===
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A number of different museums exist to demonstrate a variety of topics. Music museums may celebrate the life and work of [[composers]] or [[musicians]], such as the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in [[Cleveland, Ohio]]. Other music museums include live music recitals such as the [[Handel House Museum]] in [[London]].  
 
A number of different museums exist to demonstrate a variety of topics. Music museums may celebrate the life and work of [[composers]] or [[musicians]], such as the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in [[Cleveland, Ohio]]. Other music museums include live music recitals such as the [[Handel House Museum]] in [[London]].  
  
A recent development with the expansion of the [[internet]], is the establishment of [[virtual museums]], typically with no counterpart in the real world. Examples of these might be the LIMAC http://li-mac.org/, which has no physical location and can be confused with the city's own museum, as well as online [[curatorial platform]]s such as Rhizome http://rhizome.org.
+
A recent development with the expansion of the [[internet]] is the establishment of [[virtual museums]], typically with no counterpart in the real world. Examples of these might be the [http://li-mac.org/ LIMAC], which has no physical location, as well as online [[curatorial platform]]s such as [http://rhizome.org Rhizome].
  
 
[[Image:Rockhall lobby cars 2005.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Trabant]] cars from [[U2]]'s [[Zoo TV Tour]] hanging in the lobby of [[The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum]].]]
 
[[Image:Rockhall lobby cars 2005.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Trabant]] cars from [[U2]]'s [[Zoo TV Tour]] hanging in the lobby of [[The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame|The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum]].]]
  
Museums targeted for the youth, such as the [[Miami Children's Museum]], often exhibit interactive and educational material on a wide array of topics. The [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] museum is an institution of the sports category. [http://www.cmog.org/ The Corning Museum of Glass] is devoted to the art, history, and science of [[glass]]. [[Interpretation centre]]s are modern museums or visitors centres that often uses new means of communication with the public.
+
Museums targeted for the youth, such as the [[Miami Children's Museum]], often exhibit interactive and educational material on a wide array of topics. The [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] museum is an institution of the [[sports]] category. [http://www.cmog.org/ The Corning Museum of Glass] is devoted to the art, history, and science of [[glass]]. Interpretation centers are modern museums or visitors centers that often uses new means of communication with the public.
  
 
===Mobile museums===
 
===Mobile museums===
'''Mobile museum''' is a term applied to museums that make exhibitions from a vehicle, such as a van. Some institutions, such as [[St. Vital Historical Society]] and the [[Walker Art Center]], use the term to refer to a portion of their collection that travels to sites away from the museum for educational purposes. Other mobile museums have no "home site," and use travel as their exclusive means of presentation.
+
Mobile museum is a term applied to museums that make exhibitions from a vehicle, such as a van. Some institutions, such as [[St. Vital Historical Society]] and the [[Walker Art Center]], use the term to refer to a portion of their collection that travels to sites away from the museum for educational purposes. Other mobile museums have no "home site," and use travel as their exclusive means of presentation.
  
 
== List of Famous Museums ==
 
== List of Famous Museums ==
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* [http://dmoz.org/World/Bulgarian/%d0%a1%d0%bf%d1%80%d0%b0%d0%b2%d0%be%d1%87%d0%bd%d0%b8%d0%ba/%d0%9c%d1%83%d0%b7%d0%b5%d0%b8/ Museums in Bulgaria] Retrieved June 23, 2007.
 
* [http://dmoz.org/World/Bulgarian/%d0%a1%d0%bf%d1%80%d0%b0%d0%b2%d0%be%d1%87%d0%bd%d0%b8%d0%ba/%d0%9c%d1%83%d0%b7%d0%b5%d0%b8/ Museums in Bulgaria] Retrieved June 23, 2007.
 
* [http://www.museot.fi/en.php Finnish museums] Retrieved June 23, 2007.
 
* [http://www.museot.fi/en.php Finnish museums] Retrieved June 23, 2007.
 
  
 
{{Credits|Museum|118132964|}}
 
{{Credits|Museum|118132964|}}

Revision as of 22:58, 23 June 2007


A museum (from the Greek mouseion, which denotes a place or temple dedicated to the Muses) houses important historical artifacts for public viewing. People are allowed to view the exhibits for inspiration and knowledge. There are different types of museums all over the world, such as fine arts, applied arts, craft, archaeology, anthropology and ethnology, history, cultural history, military history, science, technology, children's museums, natural history, numismatics, botanical and zoological gardens and philately. Many are famous landmarks. Some of the most famous include the Louvre, in Paris, the British Museum, and the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister Museum in Dresden, Germany. Museums have a long history, dating back to Ancient Greece. Many early museums were often private, established by wealthy individuals and later made public. The purpose of museum is to protect and conserve the different artifacts that represent human history throughout the world, for the sake of human knowledge, understanding, and enjoyment of the beauty and wisdom of those of different cultures.

The Louvre Museum in Paris, one of the largest and most famous museums in the world.

Definition

School children in the Louvre

The English museum comes from the Latin word, and is pluralized as "museums" (or, rarely, "musea"). It is originally from the Greek mouseion, which denotes a place or temple dedicated to the Muses (the patron divinities in Greek mythology of the arts), and hence a building set apart for study and the arts, especially the institute for philosophy and research at the Library established at Alexandria by Ptolemy I Soter c280 B.C.E. This was considered by many to be the first museum/library.

According to the International Council of Museums, a museum is a "permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study, education, enjoyment, the tangible and intangible evidence of people and their environment."[1]

According to the Museums Association, museums enable people to explore collections for inspiration, learning, and enjoyment. They are institutions that collect, safeguard, and make accessible artifacts and specimens, which they hold in trust for society.[2]

History

Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence, Italy is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world.

In ancient Greece a museum, originally a place connected with the Muses, sometimes in a religious sense but more usually as a place where the arts and learning were cultivated. Thus "museum" came to mean a place of education, connected with the Muses.

Euripides describes the places where birds sing as "mouseia." The most famous museum was that of Alexandria in Egypt, founded by Ptolemy I Soter (ruled 323–283 B.C.E.) possibly on the advice of the Athenian Demetrius of Phalerum. It was distinct from the Library, and housed scholars who were supported by the Ptolemies and, after Egypt came under Roman control, by the emperors. There is no evidence that there was provision for formal teaching, but lectures were given and there were many discussions which even the kings might attend; Cleopatra, the last independent ruler of Egypt, is reputed to have done so. After the foundation of Constantinople in 324 C.E. many of the Museum scholars are said to have retreated there to avoid the theological controversies of Alexandria. The last member of the Museum to be mentioned explicitly is Theon the mathematician, father of Hypatia, c. 400 C.E. Dinners with clever conversation were a characteristic institution of the Museum; a poet of the third century B.C.E. described it as the "hen-coop of the Muses."[3]

Early museums began as the private collections of wealthy individuals, families, or institutions of art and rare or curious natural objects and artifacts. These were often displayed in so-called wonder rooms or cabinets of curiosities. Public access was often possible for the "respectable," especially to private art collections, but at the whim of the owner and his staff.

The first public museums in the world opened in Europe during the eighteenth century's Age of Enlightenment:

  • the Museo Sacro, the first museum in the Vatican Museums complex, was opened in Rome in 1756
  • the British Museum in London, was founded in 1753 and opened to the public in 1759. Sir Isaac Sloan's personal collection of curios provided the initial foundation for the British Museum's collection.
  • the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, which had been open to visitors on request since the 16th century, was officially opened to the public 1765
  • the Belvedere Palace of the Habsburg monarchs in Vienna opened with an outstanding collection of art in 1781
The circular Reading Room of the British Museum. Despite being amongst the most famous rooms in the world, until December 2000 it was accessible only to those with a Reader's ticket.

These "public" museums, however, were often accessible only by the middle and upper classes. It could be difficult to gain entrance. In London for example, prospective visitors to the British Museum had to apply in writing for admission. Even by 1800 it was possible to have to wait two weeks for an admission ticket. Visitors in small groups were limited to stays of two hours.

The first truly public museum was the Louvre Museum in Paris, opened in 1793 during the French Revolution, which enabled for the first time in history free access to the former French royal collections for people of all stations and status. The fabulous art treasures collected by the French monarchy over centuries were accessible to the public three days each décade (the 10-day unit which had replaced the week in the French Republican Calendar). The Conservatoire du muséum national des Arts (National Museum of Arts' Conservatory) was charged with organizing the Louvre as a national public museum and the centerpiece of a planned national museum system. As Napoléon I conquered the great cities of Europe, confiscating art objects as he went, the collections grew and the organizational task became more and more complicated. After Napoleon was defeated in 1815, many of the treasures he had amassed were gradually returned to their owners (and many were not). His plan was never fully realized, but his concept of a museum as an agent of nationalistic fervor had a profound influence throughout Europe.[4]

American museums eventually joined European museums as the world's leading centers for the production of new knowledge in their fields of interest. A period of intense museum building, in both an intellectual and physical sense was realized in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (called "The Museum Period" or "The Museum Age"). While many American museums, both Natural History museums and Art museums alike, were founded with the intention of focusing on the scientific discoveries and artistic developments in North America, many moved to emulate their European counterparts in certain ways (including the development of Classical collections from ancient Egypt, Greece, Mesopotamia and Rome). It is typically understood that universities took the place of museums as the centers for innovative research in the United States well before the start of the Second World War, however, museums to this day contribute new knowledge to their fields and continue to build collections that are useful for both research and display.

Purpose of Museums

Museums collect and care for objects of scientific, artistic, or historical importance and make them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Large museums are located in major cities throughout the world and more local ones exist in small cities. Most museums offer programs and activities for a range of audiences, including adults, children, and families, as well as those for more specific professions. Programs for the public may consist of lectures or tutorials by the museum faculty or field experts, films, musical or dance performances, and technology demonstrations. Many times, museums concentrate on the host region's culture. Although most museums do not allow physical contact with the associated artifacts, there are some that are interactive and encourage a more hands-on approach.

Modern trends in museology have broadened the range of subject matter and introduced many interactive exhibits, which give the public the opportunity to make choices and engage in activities that may vary the experience from person to person. With the advent of the internet, there are growing numbers of virtual exhibits, web versions of exhibits showing images and playing recorded sound.[5]

The Kunsthaus Graz museum built as part of the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2003 and has become an architectural landmark in Graz, Austria.

The design of museums has evolved throughout history. Interpretive museums, as opposed to art museums, have missions reflecting curatorial guidance through the subject matter which now include content in the form of images, audio and visual effects, and interactive exhibits. Some of these experiences have very few or no artifacts; the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, being notable examples where there are few artifacts, but have strong, memorable stories to tell or information to interpret. In contrast, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC uses many artifacts in their memorable exhibitions. Notable international museum exhibition designers include Ralph Appelbaum Associates, C&G Partners, ESI Design, and the Burdick Group.

Museums are usually open to the general public, sometimes charging an admission fee. Some museums have free entrance, either permanently or on special days, such as once per week or year. They are usually not run for the purpose of making a profit, unlike galleries which engage in the sale of objects. There are governmental museums, non-governmental, non-profit museums, and privately owned or family museums.

The Carpet Museum of Iran, Tehran

Museums function as houses that collect and exhibit culture. They are effectively cultural bookmarks, taking pieces of art, culture, history, and science and marking their glory in a location that the general public can view. Museums celebrate human culture and our ability to understand the world around us, such as in science history museums. At one point in time, museums aimed at a particular constituency. However with the rise of the information age and globalization, more diverse people are coming to see what is housed in museums. Many countries have museums celebrating not just human accomplishment, but the accomplishments and history of their own country as a form of nationalism.[6]

Museums and their upkeeping are important because they are records of a timeline. History is often studied to learn from past mistakes as well as for knowledge. Many artifacts in museums are extremely old and must be handled with utmost care or they will be damaged. Different types of museums celebrate different aspects of human culture. Not all museums have the same objects: an aviation museum cannot house an artifact that belongs to a natural science museum, however, it may barter with other museums for a piece that does belong in its exhibits. Many museums are now putting samples of their exhibits online in a virtual tour. This allows people to get a taste for what they are going to see before they actually arrive at the museum, helping them better plan what to see.

Museums are keepers of time. Walking through the halls of a museum is walking through the history of the human race. A visitor can get a small glimpse of how human beings have evolved and how humans have interacted with the world around them throughout time. Museums keep tabs on the evolution of humanity and the world around us, and objects that many look at as common today may be exhibits of museums in the future.

Management

The museum is usually run by a director, who has a curatorial staff that cares for the objects and arranges their display. Large museums often will have a research division or institute, which are frequently involved with studies related to the museum's items, as well as an education department, in charge of providing interpretation of the materials to the general public. The director usually reports to a higher body, such as a governmental department or a board of trustees.

Objects come to the collection through a variety of means. Either the museum itself or an associated institute may organize expeditions to acquire more items or documentation for the museum. Museums may also purchase or trade for artifacts, or receive them as donations or bequests.

State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

For instance, a museum featuring Impressionist art may receive a donation of a Cubist work which simply cannot be fit into the museum's exhibits, but it can be used to help acquire a painting more central to the museum's focus. However, this process of acquiring objects outside the museum's purview in order to acquire more desirable objects is considered unethical by many museum professionals. Larger museums may have an "Acquisitions Department" whose staff is engaged fulltime in this activity. Most museums have a collections policy to help guide what is and is not included in the collection.

Museums often cooperate to sponsor joint, often traveling, exhibits on particular subjects when one museum may not by itself have a collection sufficiently large or important. These exhibits have limited engagements and often depend upon an additional entry fee from the public to cover costs.

Types of museums

There are very many types of museums, from very large collections in major cities, covering many of the categories below, to very small museums covering either a particular location in a general way, or a particular subject, such an individual notable person. Categories include: fine arts, applied arts, craft, archaeology, anthropology and ethnology, history, cultural history, military history, science, technology, children's museums, natural history, numismatics, botanical and zoological gardens and philately. Within these categories many museums specialize further, such as museums of modern art, local history, aviation history, agriculture or geology. A museum normally houses a core collection of important selected objects in its field. Objects are formally accessioned by being registered in the museum's collection with an artifact number and details recorded about their provenance. The persons in charge of the collection and of the exhibits are known as curators.[4]

The Shaanxi History Museum located in Xi'an, China, houses over 300,000 items.

History museums

History museums cover the knowledge of history and its relevance to the present and future. Some cover specialized aspects of history or a particular locality; others are more general. Such museums contain a wide range of objects, including documents, artifacts of all kinds, art, archaeological objects. Antiquities museums specialize in more archaeological findings.

A common type of history museum is a historic house. A historic house may be a building of special architectural interest, the birthplace or home of a famous person, or a house with an interesting history. Historic sites can also become museums, particularly those that mark public crimes, such as Tuol Sleng or Robben Island.

Another type of history museum is a living museum, where people recreate a time period to the fullest extent, including buildings, clothes and language. It is similar to historical reenactment.

The National Gallery in London, a famous museum.

Art museums

An art museum, also known as an art gallery, is a space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art, and usually primarily paintings, illustrations, and sculpture. Collections of drawings and old master prints are often not displayed on the walls, but kept in a print room. There may be collections of applied art, including ceramics, metalwork, furniture, book art and other types of object.

View of the Winter Palace, home of the Hermitage Museum, from the Palace Square.

The first publicly owned museum in Europe was the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. While initially conceived as a a palace for the offices of Florentian magistrates (hence the name), it later evolved into a display place for many of the paintings and sculpture collected by the Medici family or commissioned by them. After the house of Medici was extinguished, the art treasures remained in Florence, forming the first modern museums. The gallery had been open to visitors by request since the sixteenth century, and in 1765 it was officially opened to the public.

The specialized art museum is considered a fairly modern invention, the first being the Hermitage in St. Petersburg which was established in 1764. The Louvre in Paris, France was established in 1793, soon after the French Revolution when the royal treasures were declared for the people. The Czartoryski Museum in Kraków was established in 1796 by Princess Izabela Czartoryska. This showed the beginnings of removing art collections from the private domain of aristocracy and the wealthy into the public sphere, where they were seen as sites for educating the masses in taste and cultural refinement.

Science museums

An IMAX dome in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Science museums and technology centers revolve around scientific marvels and their history. To explain complicated inventions, a combination of demonstrations, interactive programs and thought-provoking media are used. Some museums may have exhibits on topics such as computers, aviation, physics, astronomy, and the animal kingdom. Science museums, in particular, may consist of planetaria, or large theater usually built around a dome. Museums may have IMAX feature films, which may provide 3-D viewing or higher quality picture. As a result, IMAX content provides a more immersive experience for people of all ages.

Natural history museums

The National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Museums of natural history and natural science typically exhibit work of the natural world. The focus lies on nature and culture. Exhibitions may educate the masses about dinosaurs, ancient history, and anthropology. Evolution, environmental issues, and biodiversity are major areas in natural science museums. Notable museums of this type include the Natural History Museum in London, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History in Oxford, the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris, the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Drumheller, Alberta, and the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

Zoos and Zoological Gardens

Main article: Zoo

Although zoos are not often thought of as museums, they may be considered "living museums." They exist for the same purpose as other museums: to educate, inspire action, study, and preserve a collection. Notable zoos include the Wildlife Conservation Society Zoos in New York, London Zoo, the San Diego Zoo, Berlin Zoo, Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, Frankfurt Zoo and Zoo Zurich in Switzerland.

Open air museums

An old farmhouse at the Salzburger Freilichtmuseum in Großgmain near Salzburg (details)

Open air museums collect and re-erect old buildings at large outdoor sites, usually in settings of re-created landscapes of the past. The first one was King Oscar II's collection near Oslo in Norway, opened in 1881. In 1891 Arthur Hazelius founded the famous Skansen in Stockholm, which became the model for subsequent open air museums in Northern and Eastern Europe, and eventually in other parts of the world. Most open air museums are located in regions where wooden architecture prevailed, as wooden structures may be translocated without substantial loss of authenticity. A more recent but related idea is realized in the ecomuseums, which originated in France.

Other museums

A number of different museums exist to demonstrate a variety of topics. Music museums may celebrate the life and work of composers or musicians, such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Other music museums include live music recitals such as the Handel House Museum in London.

A recent development with the expansion of the internet is the establishment of virtual museums, typically with no counterpart in the real world. Examples of these might be the LIMAC, which has no physical location, as well as online curatorial platforms such as Rhizome.

Trabant cars from U2's Zoo TV Tour hanging in the lobby of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum.

Museums targeted for the youth, such as the Miami Children's Museum, often exhibit interactive and educational material on a wide array of topics. The Baseball Hall of Fame museum is an institution of the sports category. The Corning Museum of Glass is devoted to the art, history, and science of glass. Interpretation centers are modern museums or visitors centers that often uses new means of communication with the public.

Mobile museums

Mobile museum is a term applied to museums that make exhibitions from a vehicle, such as a van. Some institutions, such as St. Vital Historical Society and the Walker Art Center, use the term to refer to a portion of their collection that travels to sites away from the museum for educational purposes. Other mobile museums have no "home site," and use travel as their exclusive means of presentation.

List of Famous Museums

Below is a short list of notable museums worldwide:

  • Bahrain National Museum, the Bahrain National Museum in Bahrain collects the artistic, natural, and physical history of Bahrain and its people.
  • British Museum – The British Museum in London, England is one of the world's largest museums of human history and culture.
  • Egyptian Museum, the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt was established in 1835 and contains over one hundred twenty thousand historical objects, dating back from the pre-historic era.
  • Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, in Dresden, Germany is known for its art-history, music, and literature collections.
  • Guggenheim Museum, the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, United States seeks to promote appreciation and understanding of contemporary art and artists.
  • Louvre, the Louvre in Paris, France was established in 1793 and has as its principle responsibility the conservation, protection, restoration, and development of France's national art treasures.
  • New Delhi National Museum, the National Museum in New Delhi, India has over two hundred thousand pieces of art that cover more than five thousand years of cultural Indian heritage.
  • Shanghai Museum of Art and History, the Museum of Art and History in Shanghai, China house many artistic treasures from ancient dynasties.
  • Smithsonian Institution, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., United States opened in 1846 and seeks to provide knowledge to the public.
  • South African Museum, the South African Museum in Cape Town, South Africa is a science museum that houses more than one and a half million scientific specimens for study and public observation.
  • Swedish Museum of Natural History, the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm, Sweden attempts to show the public the delicate balance of nature and environment through a holistic perspective.
  • Tate Gallery, the Tate Gallery in London, United Kingdom seeks to increase peoples knowledge and appreciation of British art from the sixteenth century to the modern era.
  • Tokugawa Art Museum, the Tokugawa Art Museum in Nagoya, Japan is a historical museum renowned for its artifacts from the twelfth century.

Notes

  1. (ICOM) Statutes Retrieved June 23, 2007.
  2. The Museums Association. 1998. What is a Museum? Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  3. The Concise Oxford Companion to Classical Literature. 2003. Museum. Oxford University Press. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Mettina Bessias Carbonell, Museum Studies: An Anthology of Contexts. (Blackwell Publishing Limited 2003 ISBN 978-0631228301)
  5. Various Authors. 2006. Museum Frictions: Public Cultures/Global Transformations. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0822338949. Retrieved June 14, 2007.
  6. I. Karp, Museums and Communities, (Smithsonian 1992 ISBN 156098189X)

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Anderson, Gail. 2004. Reinventing the Museum, Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on the Paradigm Shift. AltaMira Press. ISBN 0759101701
  • Tony Bennett. 1995. The Birth of the Museum: History, Theory, Politics. Routledge. ISBN 978-0415053877.
  • Carbonell, Bettina Messias (ed). 2003. Museum Studies: An Anthology of Contexts. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 0631228306
  • Hooper-Greenhil, Eilean. 2000. Museums and the Interpretation of Visual Culture. Routledge. ISBN 0415086337

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