The materials in this curriculum guide were designed to prepare teachers and students in grades 2-11 for the "Secret World of the Forbidden City: Splendors from China's Imperial Palace 1644-1911" exhibition at the Oakland Museum of California Education Department, to inform teachers and students about Imperial China, and to illuminate…

Describes public facilities in the United Kingdom (observatories, planetariums, museums, and research institutes) available for use in astronomy education. (SK)

A checklist for museum compliance with federal, state, and local laws covers administrative organization, general endowment and restricted funds, trustees, staffing and employment practices, volunteers, acquisition and disposition, exhibition programs, visitors and membership, auxiliary activities, building, and miscellaneous regulations. (MSE)

Describes the ambitious activities of a space science club and its advisor in building a community science center. (SA)

Presents an exploration of animals and their habitats that bridges a natural history museum and the Internet. Students visit a natural history museum with focused questions on ecological issues and then seek information about their topics on the Internet. (DDR)

Reported are the results of a study at the Royal British Columbia Museum where an interactive computer program, "Explore the Seashore," was added to an exhibit to test its effects on visitor enjoyment and learning. Details of the presentation and structure of the hypercard media are presented. (CW)

Describes the diversity of channels through which the cause of science is being promoted and the special efforts being made to involve females in science and technology. Topics include the background of science popularization, tradition, innovation, television programs, science museums, the role of universities, youth activities, computers, and…

A conference that brought together archaeologists, museum professionals, and indigenous groups from around the world to discuss the reburial issue is discussed. Participants said the issue is as much about wresting control of the past as it is about limiting scientific research in the interests of spiritual values. (MLW)

Traces the historical relationship between Native Americans and cultural institutions such as museums through three stages: objectification of native peoples themselves as cultural artifacts, interpretation of native cultures on the basis of Eurocentric standards and from the viewpoint of the "vanishing native," and development of…

A field experiment was conducted to test whether attitudinal changes during a live animal program could be attributed to the interpreter. Results provided no support for "matching" the interpreter with his or her audience. Program development, especially with females, is discussed. (LZ)

Describes visitor-oriented exhibits at the Natural History Museum that utilize precise principles of communication for educative purpose. These exhibits are designed on the basis of detailed knowledge of the audience, extending attention to the entire gallery as an experience rather than providing notice to individual exhibits, while taking…

Includes five articles that examine the application of information technology to cultural activities throughout the world. Highlights include the development of information standards for the description of art objects; standards for the computerized exchange of museum information; the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN); vocabulary…

Describes the New Mexico Rural Science Education Project, a school-university-museum cooperative effort that seeks to improve rural elementary science education through teacher workshops, teacher-developed materials on local themes, individualized support services, and natural history field schools for teachers and students. (SV)

Describes a museum exhibit that portrays the role of Chinese immigrants in the growth of the U.S. west during the latter part of the 1800s. Discusses the growth of Chinatowns and their cultural attributes and the agricultural and industrial significance of Chinese immigrant workers during that period. (CFR)

Contends that schools, museums, and performing arts organizations contribute to lifelong learning processes. Discusses fundamental differences between schools and cultural organizations. Encourages art educators and teachers to explore innovative ways in which schools, museums, and arts organizations can collaborate on education for all citizens.…