It is the only free acquisition in MoMA’s history - the @ symbol. An underused symbol on the keyboard, the @ symbol was elevated to a new level of meaning by Ray Tomlinson, a computer engineer who gave us the email address.

As with many symbols, it has a different description in different languages. Some of the favourites: 

Klammeraffe = hanging monkey (Germany)
arobas / petit escargot = small snail (France)
miukumauku =  miaow-meow (Finland)

And why is the @ sign worthy of MoMA?

…[Ray Tomlinson] performed a powerful act of design that not only forever changed the @ sign’s significance and function, but which also has become an important part of our identity in relationship and communication with others.  

Read the article on Fast Company.