Due to the influence of Greek culture, a huge museum was established in Alexandria, Egypt in the third century BC to concentrate academic knowledge, set up a library and collect precious cultural relics. More than a hundred years later, the Roman Empire plundered Greece, and all works of art were moved to Roman courts, temples and the homes of princes and nobles, and the works of art became the private property of the nobles. European Christian monasteries in the Middle Ages became places where exquisite works of art were preserved. /kloc-In the 6th century, the European shipping industry rose, and the upsurge of private collection and curios began. The Renaissance also aroused the atmosphere of antique research. The field of museum science has opened up a new situation, and the technology of cultural relics classification and restoration has followed. /kloc-in the 0 th and 7 th centuries, private collectors began to open their treasures for the general public to visit, private museums appeared and public museums were established one after another. In the18th century and19th century, museums developed all over the United States, as well as in Asian countries such as China, Indian, Japanese and Korean. Since the 20th century, the methods and concepts of modern museum management have been improved day by day, from static to dynamic, and audio-visual equipment and new technologies have been applied to new exhibition design and management.

In the 4th century BC, Alexander the Great of Macedonia, in the military action of building a great empire across Europe, Asia and Africa, handed over many precious works of art and rare antiquities collected and plundered to his teacher Aristotle for sorting out and studying. Aristotle used these cultural heritages for teaching and spreading knowledge. After Alexander's death, his subordinate Ptolemy Soto established a new dynasty, continued to fight in the south and north, and collected more works of art. In the third century BC, Ptolemy Soto established a Muse Temple in Alexandria, Egypt, to collect cultural treasures. This "Muse Temple" is recognized as the earliest "museum" in human history. The word museum evolved from the Greek word "muse".

Different from the museum we see today, the Muse Temple is actually a specialized research institution, with a hall research room displaying astronomical, medical, cultural and artistic collections, where scholars gather for research work. Legend has it that Archimedes, a famous physicist who discovered the law of buoyancy when taking a bath, and Euclid, a famous mathematician, are both engaged in research work here.

The Muse Temple, the earliest museum in human history, was destroyed by war in the 5th century. Scholar Huang Moya believes that the earliest Confucius Temple in China is also the earliest museum according to western standards.

Modern museums appeared in the late17th century. In the18th century, there was an English doctor, hans sloane, who was a collector with a wide range of interests. In order to make his collection "complete and inseparable" forever, he decided to donate nearly 80 thousand pieces of his collection to the British royal family. The royal family decided to build a national museum. 1753, the British Museum was established, becoming the first large museum open to the public in the world.

1933, Cai Yuanpei and others proposed to establish the Central Museum (now Nanjing Museum) in order to carry forward the traditional cultural spirit of the Chinese nation, and started construction on June 6, 1936. The National Central Museum is the first and only modern comprehensive large museum in China, modeled after the first-class museums in Europe and America.

1946, the international museum association was established in Paris, France. 1974, the association defined the orientation of the museum, and public welfare became its primary responsibility. Since 1977, the International Association of Museums has designated May 18 as "International Museum Day" every year, and determined a theme every year.

There is another saying: as a word, "natural history" first appeared in Shan Hai Jing, which means that many things can be identified; Shangshu said that knowledgeable and knowledgeable people are "natural history gentlemen"; "Han Shu Chu Yuan Wang Chuanzan" also means "make the past serve the present". /kloc-in the second half of the 9th century, China imitated the Japanese and began to use the word "natural history" as the name of a discipline, which included knowledge of animals, plants, minerals and physiology.

"Museum" and "Museum" as a word as a cultural and educational institution appeared relatively late in China, only more than one hundred years. The word "natural history" in Japanese comes from the word "museum" commonly used in English, French and German, while this word from Latin comes from the Greek word "meuse", which means the place where Mercer, the nine goddesses in charge of poetry, dance, music, art and science, is worshipped in Greek mythology.

In ancient Greece, there was also an institution dedicated to the preservation of treasures, similar to the nature of modern museums. This is a collection organization dedicated to preserving printed matter, jewels, royal flags and scepters and other precious decorations. This treasure house has also been found in other European countries. Until the Renaissance, with the expansion of the collection, some primitive treasures gradually used the popular Latin museum at that time. In Munich, Germany, two museums with different names have existed for a long time. With the changes of the times and the development of social education, the museum with a changed name and expanded scale gradually replaced the original treasure house and eventually became a popular museum open to the masses today.

In the long process of adapting to social development, museums have formed a multi-functional cultural complex. With the development of society, the functions of museums remain unchanged.

In the process of development and change. New functions, new forms, new methods and new collections of museums are constantly emerging. Therefore, the internationally recognized definition of a museum is constantly being revised. In order to give museums a definition acceptable to all countries, the International Association of Museums has done a lot of work, spent a long time, and made many discussions and revisions.

1946165438+10, when the international museum association was founded, it was put forward in its articles of association that museums refer to institutions that collect art, craft, science, history and archaeology for the public, including zoos and botanical gardens. In 195 1, 1962, 197 1, the definition of museum has been discussed and revised many times by the International Association of Museums. It was not until 1974 that the Constitution adopted by the 1 1 Congress of the International Association of Museums clearly stipulated that museums were not for profit. Many people think that this is a more appropriate definition, but some people think that this is only an international definition, and countries still treat museums according to their own knowledge and understanding.

The American Concise Encyclopedia of Britain points out that modern museums are cultural and educational institutions that collect, preserve, display and study objects representing nature and human beings, and provide knowledge, education and appreciation for the public. The American Museum Association believes that museums are institutions that collect and preserve materials that can best explain natural phenomena and human life, and use them to enhance people's knowledge and enlightenment education. The encyclopedia of the Soviet Union puts forward that museums are scientific research institutions and scientific education institutions that collect, preserve, study and popularize natural and historical specimens, material and spiritual cultural treasures. Japan's Museum Law stipulates that museums are institutions that collect, preserve and display materials related to history, art, folklore, industry and natural science. For the use of the general public, while carrying out necessary education, investigation and research, enlightenment education and other work. And investigate and study these materials.

China's understanding of museums has gone through a gradual and in-depth process, and its definition has been revised many times. In the mid-1930s, the China Museum Association believed that a museum was a cultural institution, not a storehouse for treasures, but a place for organizing educational work and discussing knowledge based on physical demonstrations. After the founding of New China, the definition of museum was discussed and revised twice. It was not until 1979 that the Regulations on Museums of Provinces, Municipalities and Autonomous Regions adopted by the National Symposium on Museums clearly stipulated that museums are the main collection institutions, publicity and education institutions and scientific research institutions of cultural relics and specimens, and are an important part of China's socialist scientific and cultural undertakings. Museums conduct scientific research by collecting cultural relics and specimens; Hold exhibitions; Disseminating historical, scientific and cultural knowledge; Educating the people in patriotism and socialism will help to improve the scientific and cultural level of the whole nation and contribute to China's socialist modernization. The definition of ICOM 1974 in China museums is basically positive.