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Anonymous Posted 20 years ago
Vocabulary

history museum vs. historical museum

I've seen discussions on the use of "historic" versus "historical", but how about the use of "history" versus "historical". In particular, is there (or should there) be a distinction between "history museum" and "historical museum"?
  

Top answer

Hi, a history museum sounds like a museum that focuses on the field of history, in the same way that a ceramics museum focuses on the field of ceramics. Since a museum by definition looks at earlier periods, the phrase seems rather redundant. You might say something specific about the museum's area of interest, like 'a museum of military history'.

  • Hi, a history museum sounds like a museum that focuses on the field of history, in the same way that a ceramics museum focuses on the field of ceramics.
  • Since a museum by definition looks at earlier periods, the phrase seems rather redundant.
  • You might say something specific about the museum's area of interest, like 'a museum of military history'.
  • a historical museum In the same way that a historical church sounds like a church that has had an interesting role in history, so does a historical museum sound like the building itself is of historical signinficance.
  • I'd just stick with the term 'museum'.
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1 Answers
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Hi,

a history museum sounds like a museum that focuses on the field of history, in the same way that a ceramics museum focuses on the field of ceramics.

Since a museum by definition looks at earlier periods, the phrase seems rather redundant. You might say something specific about the museum's area of interest, like 'a museum of military history'.

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