A museum is an institution that collects and develops historical objects, art and artifacts for preservation, research and access to the public. Museums include all types and forms of art and artifacts, including music, painting, sculpture, books, crafts, industrial products, minerals, prehistoric fossils, film, photography and new media.
The functions of the museum include the preservation, study and presentation of museum collections. Museums are also responsible for educating the public and helping to disseminate artistic values. In other words, museums serve to preserve history, protect cultural heritage and introduce art to the community.
Popular museums around the world include the Prado in Madrid, the Louvre in Paris, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Tate Modern in London, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C., the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the Musee d'Orsay in Paris and the Vatican Museum in Rome.
