Science Communication in Science Museums From a Psychological Perspective

This article looks at the important role of museums and exhibitions for communicating scientific findings and evidence to large groups of citizens. Science communication in museums is distinguished by its specific characteristics in terms of information presentation and its reception by the visitors. We show how current psychological theories of knowledge communication and knowledge acquisition may contribute to our understanding of communicating, acquiring and processing information in these complex settings. In turn, research in museums may enhance our understanding both of the ecological validity of these theories and of possible extensions and differentiations.