The word 'museum' means a temple of the Muses, and in ancient times was applied to any building for the study of literature or art, and so was applied to institutions such as the university of ancient Alexandria which was founded in 280 BC. Generally in English speaking countries the term
museum is not generally understood to include picture and sculpture galleries. Books and manuscripts in so far as they convey ideas by language, pertain to the library; but as examples of printing, binding or illumination they are suitable items for a museum.
Museums may be classified according to their contents, thus there is a broad distinction between art and science museums, but the technical collections, illustrating the application of science to art, belong as much to one side as to the other. A piece of pottery may be said to be art pure and simple, or may be viewed from the scientific in respect of the potters craft, as archaeological evidence or as an illustration of ethnology. Thus this division is based upon ideas rather than materials. To this end we find
museums of all topics; religion, nature, the evolution of man, toys and so on. Research Museum
Abbreviations
General Information
Research Museum