The word museum came down to us – through the Latin – from the Greek word mouseion which means place or temple dedicated to the Muses, the Greek goddesses of art. The Mouseion of Alexandria (Egypt) laid the basis for the Latin word museum in its contemporary meaning; the aforementioned Mouseion was a training centre where learned men were freed from obligation so they could devote themselves entirely to studying writings.
The form we are acquainted with, a building which contains collections of paintings, sculptures and other art objects, developed during the Renaissance.
