The article deals with the philosophical and anthropological analysis of the functioning of the museum. It is noted that the outlook changes that are observed in the modern world are connected with the implementation of the philosophical and cultural paradigm, where the central place is reserved for a person. Museum communication is a peculiar phenomenon that is reflected in human life, mechanisms of formation of individual and social consciousness, national mentality. Thanks to the real form of information transmission operations are carried out with "perfect objects" that represent the values of a particular social group, ethnic group, individual, and the formation of a personality. The role of museums in shaping the value orientations of youth is revealed, because modern museums are important centers of cultural and educational activity, education and training. It is noted that the creative interpretation of museum monuments is capable of detecting the transcendental nature of things, switching the viewer's perspective on the actual - social to the cultural - historical, thus transforming the imaginative exposition environment into the communication channel. The purpose of museums is reflected in the ability to provide young people with an ideological, interactive and material platform for a deeper understanding of their ethnic identity and to form multicultural competencies. The main directions are described: anthropologism, tolerance, compassion and respect for "Others", self-respect for own history and culture, and others like that. It is noted that now the formation of the cultural and anthropological picture of the development of humanity and society, based on universal values and meanings, is underway. Museum communication is a socio-cultural technology for the formation of a new qualitative degree of civilizational development of a society, where the strategic consideration is to take into account the mental characteristics of the people. It is concluded that museums, as a phenomenon of cultural, national, historical memory, can become an effective tool for improving the understanding of today's world and man in the world.