1. clock
  2. What a (science) museum can be?

What a (science) museum can be?

By clock on December 9, 2008.

Why do you care about and/or work in museums? Nina has her own reasons:

I don't work in museums because I love them. I didn't grow up staring open-mouthed at natural history dioramas or wandering through art galleries. When I visit a new city, I don't clamor to visit museums. I go on hikes. I go to farmer's markets. I walk around and get a sense for people and place. And while I'll visit museums out of professional (and occasionally personal) interest, I don't do it because of a deep emotional connection. Yes, there are some extraordinary museum experiences that have changed my life, but they are the exception, not the norm.

I don't work in museums because I love them. I love the promise of what they can be. I work in museums because I hate schools and see museums as a viable alternative. I'm a strong believer in free-choice learning, and I see museums as places to circumvent the hazards of compulsory education and support a democratic, engaged society of learners....

Tags
Science Education

More like this

Creativity in the Classroom
There are many ways that the Art of Science Learning manifests at our different institutions. This is my story, and one example of what this can look like. The concept of art and science integration became a laboratory for two institutions located in San Francisco, located right across the street…
Affecting Change One Citizen Scientist at a Time
Guest Blog By X-STEM Speaker Aaron A. Alford, PhD, MPH, PMP Hands-on learning and human connections are essential to STEM education. Without exception, all of the scientists that I know were inspired to enter STEM career tracks by someone who helped them make an emotional connection to science and…
Learning What the Best College Teachers Do
Photo source. This article was co-authored with Ms. Julie Dalley, Program Coordinator for the Research Academy for University Learning at Montclair State University. Why pursue a college degree? It is a fair question. People pursue a college degree for many different reasons. It may be the…
Tips for NYC Tourists
As a daily commuter into NYC via Metro-North to Grand Central Terminal, followed by two subways to my office, I go through one of the busiest transit hubs anywhere twice a day. Since it's tourist season, I also get to see lots of silly things tourists do. And since I live here and love the city, I…