Museum

From ArticleWorld


A museum is a building or other institution that is non-profit and shares educational and cultural information with the public.

Purpose of museums

Museums are permanent institutions to educate and serve society. These institutions can be very educational. There are several types of museums. Art museums display works of art and related materials and topics. Art museums both collect and display art, as well as sharing a potentially wide variety of arts with the general public. The beauty contained in an art museum is both educational and enjoyable.

Types of museums

Natural museums collect and display items related to nature, such as natural history, rock collections, insect collections, dinosaurs, historical information about nature as well as educational information abut nature.

Science and technology museums share scientific and technological history, advancements, and general educational information with the general public. Schools and other organizations frequently use museums to enhance educational opportunities and to give students an up close and personal view of subjects they may not be able to study at school or at home.

History and ethnological museums give people who attend the museum an excellent first hand look at specific eras in time, or of a specific culture. When a museum patron visits a specific part of a country, they can experience the area where historical events took place. Museum patrons can also learn about individual cultures in their natural settings, or in recreated settings. These types of museums help humans understand each other more.

Cultural importance of museums

A museum can be about almost any subject. If your area is famous for a battle, an agricultural product, ethnic group, type of music, or industry, or specific historical event, you may be able to find or start a museum on any of these subjects. Collections come to museums because of donations, trades, or purchases. Sometimes special exhibits are loaned to a museum. There are even virtual museums, where exhibit s can be viewed on line.