Naive Knowledge and the Design of Science Museum Exhibits

The Naive Knowledge Study at the Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, took place over a three-and-one-half-year period ending in April 1992. It was both a research and application project to uncover widespread misconceptions about the concept of gravity held by museum visitors and to test the efficacy of hands-on exhibits in altering these naive notions. Exhibits were designed to counter typical and persistent misconceptions and enable visitors to shift from the naive knowledge of the “novice” to the more sophisticated understanding of the science “expert.” The study revealed that hands-on exhibits with carefully worded labels can, indeed, alter naive notions and open the door to new understanding.