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How did Lorenzo de’ Medici’s collection help revive the word museum in 15th-century Europe?

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Gallery room at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, with framed portraits and group paintings on the walls and a bench in the center of the wood floor. — museum Interior of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

In 15th-century Europe, the word museum was revived to describe the extensive collection of Lorenzo de’ Medici in Florence.1

While the term has classical roots—derived from the Greek mouseion, meaning "seat of the Muses"—its usage in the 15th century did not denote a specific building or institution as it does today. Instead, the term was applied to Lorenzo’s collection to convey the concept of comprehensiveness. During this period, the Medici family were renowned patrons who avidly collected antiquities, such as gems and cameos, as well as manuscripts and tapestries.12

This revival marked a shift in how such collections were perceived, moving away from the ancient Roman association of the word with philosophical discussion toward a focus on the assembly and preservation of material objects. It was not until the 17th and 18th centuries that the term evolved to describe collections of curiosities and, eventually, the public institutions dedicated to displaying heritage that we recognize as museums today.1