Presents a research and exhibit development aimed at increasing the understanding of family learning in science museums and identifying the characteristics of successful family learning exhibits. Concludes that using the seven characteristics of successful family exhibits as a guide to exhibit development proved to be an effective strategy for…

Contains an annotated bibliography of literature that addresses understanding the family-learning process. The material relates to the definition of family, why families visit museums, how they behave in museums, how they learn in museums, and how this type of learning is measured. Contains 39 references. (DDR)

A series of studies of explanatory label reading and comprehension by visitors of various age groups was conducted at The Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia. A single large, complex exhibit (the Gravity Tower) was selected for case study. Adult visitors were found to read an average of only 18 percent of the labels in the exhibit…

The Philadelphia-Camden Informal Science Education Collaborative Family Learning Project (PISEC) is comprised of three phases aimed at increasing understanding of family learning in science museums. Describes the results of a formative evaluation conducted during phase two. Successful family-learning exhibits include characteristics such as:…

Cognitive and affective outcomes of class visits to two participatory science museums were examined by comparing responses of fifth- and sixth-grade students randomly assigned to four conditions (control, exhibit only, lesson only, and exhibit followed by lesson) and two tests (verbal and visual). Students visiting a simple machines exhibit scored…