Creating Connections: Museums and the Public Understanding of Current Research

David Chittenden; Graham Farmelo; Bruce V. Lewenstein

doi:10.5771/9780759115620

Summary

Science museums are in the business of making science accessible to the public—a public constantly bombarded with new information and research results. How the public understands this information will affect what they expect and take away from a museum's exhibits and programs. Creating Connections looks at the public understanding of research (PUR) and how it affects what science museums do. What are the opportunities and critical issues in PUR? What strategies are working and what are some pitfalls? What can be learned from the media's experiences with PUR? Creating Connections will be an invaluable resource for science museum professionals who want to guide their institutions and their visitors toward a new understanding of and appreciation for current research.

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Bibliographic data

Edition: 1/2004
Copyright year: 2004
ISBN-Print: 978-0-7591-0476-1
ISBN-Online: 978-0-7591-1562-0
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 379
Product type: Edited Book

1. Contents No access
2. Foreword No access
3. Acknowledgments No access
INTRODUCTION: Only Connect: Linking the Public with Current Scientific Research No access Pages 1 - 26
1. 1 La buona e non mascherata filosofia, or the Exhibitionists No access
2. 2 The Challenge and the Opportunity of Presenting "Unfinished Science" No access
1. 3 Different Ways of Looking at Public Understanding of Research No access
2. 4 Museums as Agora: Diversifying Approaches to Engaging Publics in Research No access
3. 5 Evaluating Public Understanding of Research Projects and Initiatives No access
4. 6 What about the Audiences? Tailoring PUR Programs for Museum Visitors No access
5. 7 Dangerous Ground? Public Engagement with Scientific Controversy No access
6. 8 Improving Public Understanding of Scientific Research: A View from the Research Side No access
7. 9 New Alliances to Promote the Public Understanding of Research No access
8. 10 Collaboration and the Public Understanding of Current Research No access
9. 11 Funding and Institutional Issues Related to Public Understanding of Research No access
1. 12 Understanding the Process of Research No access
2. 13 Production Aspects of Promoting Public Understanding of Research No access
3. 14 Bridging the Gap: Interpreting Current Research in Museum Settings No access
4. 15 At the Cutting Edge: Showcasing Research through a Public Exhibition Center No access
5. 16 Catching Science in the Act: Mysteries of Catalhoyuk No access
6. 17 Public Understanding of Research in a Natural History Museum:The Darwin Centre No access
1. 18 Emerging Best Practices at Research-Performing Institutions No access
2. 19 It's the Way You Tell 'Em 299 No access
3. 20 Covering Science at the New York Times No access
4. 21 Nova: The Leading Edge No access
5. 22 Earth and Sky. Some Challenges of Communicating ScientificResearch on the Radio No access
6. 23 Crossing the Public and Commercial Broadcasting Barriers:ScienCentral's Two Public Understanding of Research Projects No access
APPENDIX: Background and Thoughts on Museums, Media,and the Public Understanding of Research: An InternationalWorking Conference No access Pages 337 - 328
AFTERWORD: Not So Fast: Some Thoughts on Re-Visioning PUR No access Pages 329 - 352
Bibliography No access Pages 353 - 358
Index No access Pages 359 - 372
About the Contributors No access Pages 373 - 379