  The inelastic scattering cross section for muons, $\mu^-$, with energies
$E$=9--100~eV from the $^{229}$Th nuclei is calculated in the framework of the
second order of the perturbation theory for the quantum electrodynamics. The
dominant contribution to the excitation of the low energy isomer
$^{229m}$Th$(3/2^+,8.19\pm0.12$~eV) comes from the $E2$ multipole. The
excitation cross section reaches the value of $10^{-21}$ cm$^2$ in the range
$E\approx$10~eV. This is four to five orders of magnitude larger than the
electron excitation cross section and enough for efficient excitation of
$^{229m}$Th on the muon beam at the next generation of muon colliders.
