Discover
/
Article

Science Museums as Environments for Learning

NOV 01, 1990
Science museums have evolved into unique educational institutions with particular attributes for science learning that are hard to duplicate in almost any other setting.
Robert J. Semper

A science museum is created by its contents and the activities relating to them. These contents may be historical artifacts, such as a steam engine, or exhibits of natural phenomena, scientific ideas or technological inventions. A museum is an educational county fair, a serious and exciting learning environment where the relationships between one exhibit and the next, and among the exhibits, the visitors and the space as a whole are important. This location‐and‐object specific attribute sets museums apart from other communications media such as television, books and periodicals.

This article is only available in PDF format

References

  1. 1. Assoc. Sci.‐Tech. Centers, 1987 survey (115 institutions reported “through the door” attendance of 50 million) Washington, D.C.

  2. 2. B. Serrell, ed., What Research Says About Learning in Science Museums, Assoc. Sci‐Tech. Centers, Washington, D.C. (1990).

  3. 3. P. Morrison, Am. J. Phys. 32, 441 (1964).https://doi.org/AJPIAS

  4. 4. J. Diamond, Curator 29 (2), 139 (1986).

  5. 5. J. H. Falk, J. Mus. Ed. 7 (4), 22 (1982).

  6. 6. M. Csikszentmihalyi, I. S. Csikszentmihalyi, eds., Optimal Experience, Cambridge U.P., New York (1988).

  7. 7. R. A. Hodgkin, Playing and Exploring, Methuen, New York (1985).

  8. 8. W. H. Whyte, City, Doubleday, New York (1988).

More about the Authors

Robert J. Semper. Exploratorium, San Francisco.

Related content
/
Article
Figuring out how to communicate with the public can be overwhelming. Here’s some advice for getting started.
/
Article
Amid growing investment in planetary-scale climate intervention strategies that alter sunlight reflection, global communities deserve inclusive and accountable oversight of research.
/
Article
Although motivated by the fundamental exploration of the weirdness of the quantum world, the prizewinning experiments have led to a promising branch of quantum computing technology.
/
Article
As conventional lithium-ion battery technology approaches its theoretical limits, researchers are studying alternative architectures with solid electrolytes.
This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1990_11.jpeg

Volume 43, Number 11

Get PT in your inbox

pt_newsletter_card_blue.png
PT The Week in Physics

A collection of PT's content from the previous week delivered every Monday.

pt_newsletter_card_darkblue.png
PT New Issue Alert

Be notified about the new issue with links to highlights and the full TOC.

pt_newsletter_card_pink.png
PT Webinars & White Papers

The latest webinars, white papers and other informational resources.

By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.