Abstract
McManus (1992) described the evolution of museums concerned with science and technology as having passed through three ‘generations’ over the last several centuries. The most recent of these has focused on the provision of experiences and the representation of ideas, rather than the presentation of objects, through the medium of ‘interactive exhibits’. These involve a visitor, either singly or with others, taking some action on the interactive exhibit in response to simple instructions that are usually presented in an adjacent text panel. The response produced often leads to a train of additional actions and responses. The phrase ‘Science and Technology Centre’ has come to mean a collection of interactive exhibits. The great success of such centres with the public (Thomas, 1994) is leading to a breakdown of distinctions between them and the notion of ‘museum: object-based displays are being mixed with interactive exhibits which are relevant to their theme.
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Gilbert, J.K. (2001). Towards a Unified Model of Education and Entertainment in Science and Technology Centres. In: Stocklmayer, S.M., Gore, M.M., Bryant, C. (eds) Science Communication in Theory and Practice. Contemporary Trends and Issues in Science Education, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0620-0_8
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