museum piece: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2-C1Formal (literal); Informal, often humorous or pejorative (figurative).
Quick answer
What does “museum piece” mean?
An object, especially an antique or artwork, considered worthy of display in a museum.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An object, especially an antique or artwork, considered worthy of display in a museum.
A person, idea, practice, or object considered outdated, obsolete, or ridiculously antiquated.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or frequency. The figurative usage is equally common in both.
Connotations
The figurative sense can be more playful and less harsh in British English, sometimes used with affectionate exasperation.
Frequency
Slightly more common in written texts (reviews, commentary) in the US, but used broadly in speech in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “museum piece” in a Sentence
to be a museum pieceto consider something a museum pieceto look like a museum pieceto turn something into a museum pieceVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “museum piece” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- That museum-piece computer finally gave up the ghost.
- He drove a museum-piece Morris Minor.
American English
- Their museum-piece regulations are stifling innovation.
- She collects museum-piece typewriters.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to criticise outdated technology, processes, or management styles (e.g., 'Their filing system is a museum piece').
Academic
Used literally in art history/archaeology; figuratively in history/sociology to describe obsolete ideas.
Everyday
Commonly used humorously to describe old cars, appliances, or people with old-fashioned habits.
Technical
Rare. Could be used literally in conservation or museology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “museum piece”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “museum piece”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “museum piece”
- Using it literally to mean any item *in* a museum (correct, but 'exhibit' is more precise). Confusing it with 'masterpiece' (which is about quality, not age).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, very commonly in its figurative sense, often as 'a walking museum piece', to describe someone with very old-fashioned views, habits, or style.
No. In its literal sense, it is positive (valuable, historical). In its figurative sense, it is usually humorous or mildly critical, but can sometimes imply charming antiquity rather than pure dysfunction.
They are close synonyms. 'Relic' has stronger religious/historical origins and can feel more evocative. 'Museum piece' is more specific to the context of display and obsolescence, and is often more colloquial and humorous.
Yes. An architecturally significant but impractical old building might be called a 'museum piece', especially if it's preserved but not fit for modern use.
An object, especially an antique or artwork, considered worthy of display in a museum.
Museum piece is usually formal (literal); informal, often humorous or pejorative (figurative). in register.
Museum piece: in British English it is pronounced /mjuːˈziː.əm ˌpiːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /mjuˈzi.əm ˌpiːs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “He's/she's/It's a (walking) museum piece.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a dusty, fragile vase in a museum display case. Now imagine your grandfather's massive, boxy mobile phone from the 1980s in the same case. Both are 'museum pieces' – one literally, one figuratively.
Conceptual Metaphor
OUTDATED IS AN ARTEFACT (Something no longer functional in the modern world is metaphorically an object for display, not use).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'museum piece' used figuratively?