The Right Kind of Wrong: A “Knowledge in Pieces” Approach to Science Learning in Museums

Research has highlighted the vast gulf that exists between experts' and novices' understandings of science, and how difficult it is to bridge this gulf. When this research is applied to the design of museum exhibits and outreach material, it becomes clear that there is a tension between being scientifically correct and communicating effectively to a broad, diverse audience. In this paper we present a new approach to thinking about science learning in museums. Drawing on decades of research from the learning sciences, we argue that being “wrong” is an inescapable part of learning, and that not all simplifications are problematic. Instead, being “wrong” involves the gradual restructuring of many fine‐grained intuitive or commonsense notions that persist throughout the learning process and play an essential role in scientific expertise. We discuss the implications of adopting this approach for museum design.     

“The Enchanted Palace” at Kensington

Abstract Kensington Palace, London, has been home to kings and queens, dukes and princesses for 300 years. It was the focus for the tremendous public outpouring of grief following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. Recently, the historic building was transformed into “The Enchanted Palace at Kensington,” which sent visitors on a quest through the sumptuous rooms to find seven of the palace’s princesses. On their journey, visitors discovered fantastical, fairy‐tale‐like installations, some of them by the best British fashion designers, and inspired by Kensington Palace’s incredible history.     

“From food silos to community kitchens”—Retooling African libraries

This article explores reasons why the Western library system does not adequately address Africa's vision for a library and why it does not meet the local needs for information. With a focus on the AIDS pandemic, the role and mission of libraries are revisited as a customized tool that is culturally localized to effectively participate as a proactive disseminator of information, specifically to support the three key public health objectives regarding HIV/AIDS, namely, to have people tested for the virus, to inform those infected about their best options to sustain life, and to support efforts to prevent the spread of HIV. A progressive Africanized vision of the role of libraries is proposed—to retool libraries from their current passive roles as the guardians of books, to active, live, and customized disseminators of socially relevant and culturally appropriate information.     

“My Child is Your Child”: Family Behavior in a Mexican Science Museum

Abstract In this paper we describe the particularities of Latin American museum visitors as learners through an exploratory study that took place at Universum, Museo de las Ciencias, a science museum located in Mexico City. The exploration of the learning experiences of Latin American family groups was carried out by means of a case study approach and from a socio‐cultural theory perspective. This inquiry of 20 family groups reveals that nuances of the concept of “family,” in the Mexican context, are important in studying family learning in museum settings. The prominent roles of the extended family and interactions within family groups are discussed as intrinsic traits of a family’s museum learning. In addition, the outcomes of this study highlight the impact that the Latin American notion of educación has on museum education and research, as it encompasses issues that relate to the perpetuation of socio‐cultural values, child‐rearing, and ultimately, cultural identity.     

From Knowing to Not Knowing: Moving Beyond “Outcomes”

The ways that museums measure the success of their exhibitions reveal their attitudes and values. Are they striving to control visitors so that people will experience what the museum wants? Or are they working to support visitors, who seek to find their own path? The type of approach known as “outcome‐based evaluation” weighs in on the side of control. These outcomes are sometimes codified and limited to some half‐dozen or so “learning objectives” or “impact categories.” In essence, those who follow this approach are committed to creating exhibitions that will tell visitors what they must experience. Yet people come to museums to construct something new and personally meaningful (and perhaps unexpected or unpredictable) for themselves. They come for their own reasons, see the world through their own frameworks, and may resist (and even resent) attempts to shape their experience. How can museums design and evaluate exhibitions that seek to support visitors rather than control them? How can museum professionals cultivate “not knowing” as a motivation for improving what they do?     

“Think With Me:” David Carr's Enduring Invitation

David Wildon Carr (1945–2016) was recognized in the international cultural community as a scholar and instigator whose critical thinking challenged museum practitioners to reflect on the purpose and responsibility of their work. In his recent papers and lectures, he argued that those discussing museum experiences are late to enter into a dialogue already in progress—a dialogue which carefully considers the whole person in a community, and wherein thinking with a museum is an enterprise embedded in the learner's experience. This forum, written by three museum professionals in response to his recent untimely death, is intended to capture personal impressions of Carr's contribution to the continuing work of museums. Each author quotes from Carr's writings, since his words have such enduring strength—a strength that will continue to resonate long into the future. Each also offers readers some personal background on his work as a teacher.