the-BA : Exhibits and exhibitions

Thursday 16 March 2006

How important are science centres and museums as sites for communicating science with the public? How do they work as spaces to engage people in dialogue on science and technology? How do visitors respond to the exhibits and exhibitions found in these spaces? Are they an effective mechanism for engagement? What can we learn from the ways people talk, gesture and act around museums and galleries to help design future exhibits and exhibitions?

The research project described offered implications for education and design as well as the field of social science. In particular, it highlighted the importance of the social learning that occurs at exhibits and how this can be enriched through co-participation and collaboration. The view from the museums was that this is very useful information which many museums do not have the resources to collect. It was emphasised that the unpredictable behaviour of visitors at exhibits means their creation is a complex process that can only be enriched by deeper understanding of the learning process.

Speakers:
Professor Christian Heath, Dr Dirk vom Lehn and Robin Meisner
Kings College London
and researchers on the ESRC-funded
‘Communicating science through novel exhibits and exhibitions’
Ben Gammon
consultant in museum exhibition development

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