संग्रहालय (sangrahaalay)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'museum' -- a formal, Sanskrit-derived compound (sangrah, 'collection' + aalay, 'abode') that is nonetheless the standard everyday word for the concept.
Sense 1 : museum
noun, masculine
Synonyms: म्यूज़ियम (myooziyam, common in casual speech)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will see this word everywhere in Delhi -- on the sign outside राष्ट्रीय संग्रहालय (raashtriiy sangrahaalay, 'National Museum') near India Gate, for instance. It is a nice example of how Hindi builds formal vocabulary from Sanskrit roots (सम् + ग्रह, 'gathering together' + आलय, 'dwelling place'), the same pattern you see in words like पुस्तकालय (pustkaalay, 'library', literally 'abode of books').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes assume this is a rare bookish word and reach only for म्यूज़ियम (myooziyam) in speech, but संग्रहालय (sangrahaalay) is the normal word on signage, tickets, and in writing -- both are perfectly natural, with the English loanword slightly more common in casual conversation.
Sample Sentences:
दिल्ली में राष्ट्रीय संग्रहालय इंडिया गेट के पास है। The National Museum in Delhi is near India Gate.
(dillii men raashtriiy sangrahaalay indiyaa get ke paas hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
हम कल संग्रहालय जा रहे हैं। We are going to the museum tomorrow.
(ham kal sangrahaalay jaa rahe hain।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मैंने पिछले हफ्ते एक नया संग्रहालय देखा। I saw a new museum last week.
(mainne pichhle haphte ek nayaa sangrahaalay dekhaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
संग्रहालय में फोटो खींचने की अनुमति नहीं है। Photography is not permitted in the museum.
(sangrahaalay men photo khiinchne kii anumti nahiin hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुमने कभी विज्ञान संग्रहालय देखा है? Have you ever seen the science museum?
(kyaa tumne kabhii vigyaan sangrahaalay dekhaa hai?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर मुझे समय मिलता, तो मैं हर हफ्ते संग्रहालय जाता। If I had time, I would go to the museum every week.
(agar mujhe samay miltaa, to main har haphte sangrahaalay jaataa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
कृपया संग्रहालय के अंदर शांत रहें। Please remain quiet inside the museum.
(kripyaa sangrahaalay ke andar shaant rahen।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
यह मूर्तियाँ पुराने संग्रहालय से लाई गई थीं। These statues were brought from the old museum.
(yah moortiyaan puraane sangrahaalay se laaii gaii thiin।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
शहर में एक नया संग्रहालय बनाया जा रहा है। A new museum is being built in the city.
(shahar men ek nayaa sangrahaalay banaayaa jaa rahaa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
बच्चे संग्रहालय में डायनासोर की हड्डियाँ देखकर हैरान रह गए। The children were amazed after seeing the dinosaur bones in the museum.
(bachche sangrahaalay men daaynaasor kii haddiyaan dekhkar hairaan rah gae।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): संग्रहालय (sangrahaalay)
(sg.m.oblique): संग्रहालय (sangrahaalay)
(pl.m.direct): संग्रहालय (sangrahaalay)
(pl.m.oblique): संग्रहालयों (sangrahaalyon)