The traditional roles of historic collections of instruments, machinery, and their curators and the recent changes in the priorities of national science museums are described. The importance of communication and interpretation in museology is discussed. (KR)

Shares experiences as a teacher in the School-Museum Informal Learning Experiences in Science Project (SMILES). Highlights factors that contribute to excursions that successfully support students' learning of science. (ASK)

Looks at past trends and future challenges to assist with the identification of the role of education in the natural history museum of the new millennium. As the educational role of natural history museums evolves, so do the ways in which public education of such concepts as the very nature of science is carried out in these institutions.…

Indicates that museums and visitor centers must prepare to accommodate younger visitors and their parents by providing a range of developmentally appropriate learning experiences. (CCM)

Australia does not have a conventional prime ministerial library to honour its longest serving prime minister, Sir Robert Menzies. This paper outlines the alternative memorials established by the Menzies Foundation including the creation of the Menzies Virtual Museum website. (Contains 8 notes.)

"Who We Are" is among the exhibitions that premiered in September 2004 during the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of American Indian in the U.S. capital. It is a multimedia-formatted film being shown in the distinctive circular Lelawi Theater located on the fourth floor in the museum. "Lelawi" is a Lenape (Delaware)…

The idea for a retrospective on George Morrison and Allan Houser as one of the inaugural exhibitions at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) came from the NMAI curator of contemporary art, Truman Lowe. An artist and sculptor himself, Lowe knew both artists personally and saw them as mentors and visionaries. Lowe advised an exhibition…

Field trips are opportunities to experience science in settings beyond the classroom. Much educational research has focused on effective ways of designing and planning field trips for optimal impact on the classroom and science curriculum. However, teachers are sometimes at a loss on how to design a trip that will enhance students' analytical…

In an increasingly religious culture, and with museum audiences with large populations of children, nude artworks continue to be cultural lightning rods, generating controversy--sometimes disliked, feared or misunderstood. As a figurative painter who paints nudes, and more importantly as a Teaching Artist who deals with nudity in classroom or…

Museum education and progressive education both arose at the same historical period, approximately a century ago, and share not only a common history but also common features. Both emphasize pedagogy based on experience, interaction with objects, and inquiry. They also share a social vision of serving the entire society, including underserved…

Informal and formal educators are scrutinizing particular representations of the world more often and asking whose voices are being heard and which interpretations concur or challenge learners' life worlds. Curriculum theory has emerged as a significant partner to theorize museum education practice to address ethics, equity, and accountability.…

Museum educators enter the field from a variety of backgrounds, not all rooted in visitor studies. In this article, the author discusses his experiences making the transition from university academics to the science center arena, and his struggles to define his role as an educator. A turning point for this search was his collaboration with exhibit…

In this article, the author presents a story behind the famous photograph of "Addie." Addie was a symbol of child labor reform. The author first saw the picture of Addie in the summer of 2002 at the Bennington Museum in Bennington, Vermont. Addie's picture was just one in an exhibit of child labor photographs taken by famed photographer…

The authors observe that: (1) arts education is in trouble; (2) for a variety of reasons, museums are a rational choice of institution to work towards reversing that trend; and (3) museums are generally willing to undertake such a role, but are in need of assistance to do so. The authors advocate that targeted philanthropy can provide such…

Constructivist pedagogical approaches have become common in many science curricula. However, while sciences such as physics and chemistry lend themselves to compelling opportunities for interaction (explosions, reactions, objects in motion), certain systems sciences are more challenging for learners to engage with on a short time scale. Applying…