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By Beth Hawkins on

Why are our museums great places for science engagement?

Whether it is on a school visit, as a family day out, or maybe through an experience online, there are many different reasons why museums and science centres are such great places for engaging people with science.

With awe inspiring authentic objects, cutting-edge science stories, and hands on experiences, our museums in the Science Museum Group, celebrate and connect the past, present and future of science and technology.  By presenting science content in surprising and imaginative ways, our experiences expose new perspectives of science and technology to inspire all our audiences.

So what opportunities do our museums have to help inspire and engage our visitors with science?  Here are just 5 of our top reasons…

1. We show the applications of science

From experiencing scientific principles first-hand in our interactive galleries, to investigating the inspiring objects in our exhibitions and galleries which have been built upon scientific concepts, visitors can see how the science learned in school is applied and has shaped the world around us.

2. We show how science is relevant and valuable for everyday life

See how science is a way of exploring the world and is integral to our lives today and in the future. By connecting the past, present and future of our modern world, our museums show how an understanding of science, technology, maths – alongside art and design have all come together to transform, and improve, our everyday lives.

3. We make links between people and science

Our museums reveal stories of passion, imagination and creativity of the people who have shaped the world we live in.  Visitors can explore the social impact of science and technology through the experiences and emotions of the innovators and the users and see the breadth and diversity of the people who use science in their work and everyday lives. See that science is not just for scientists – it something everyone can be part of, whatever their interests or background.

4. We provide opportunities to use and develop skills through active participation

From asking questions, making observations to creative problem solving, a museum visit is a great opportunity to use and develop key scientific skills. Our Science Museum Group learning experiences are designed to spark curiosity and reveal the wonder of science to help people learn in different and exciting ways. Discovering new things will fuel a desire to find out more.

5. We spark conversations about science

We encourage people to talk science. We design our experiences to get visitors talking, to share their ideas and opinions about science with us and each other, in and beyond our museums. We invite our visitors to tell us their own ‘science’ stories from their lives and local communities.

By helping more people to see that museums are places where they feel welcome and can enjoy themselves, we hope will promote a lifelong connection with science and culture.

There are, of course, many more reasons why museums and science centres are amazing spaces. For some, a visit to a museum may simply be good day out, but we hope that by helping more people to recognise learning opportunities and value of a museum experiences,  the memory and impact of a visit could last a lot longer.

What do you think the learning opportunities of a museum visit are? And how do we help more of our visitors to recognise these?

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