"Science is an Activity": A New Approach to Exhibits in Science Museums

科学博物馆正在开始对其永久展品采取一种独特的方法，专注于学习科学的过程，而不是要学习的事实。第一阶段，六个活动中心之一的“看不见的人”的发展，是这项提案的重点。在美国科学促进会呼吁改革科学教学和最近对学习方式的研究的指导下，博物馆将围绕六个“活动中心”组织展品。每个中心介绍一种基本技能，如观察或实验，并提示参观者在特殊的周围展品中使用新方法。该项目是博物馆环境中科学学习的一种突破性方法，因为它鼓励参观者自己发现具有特色的科学活动和分析习惯。虽然博物馆将在新计划的布局中使用许多现有的展品，但将创建许多其他展品，让参观者互动地学习科学。该项目的总成本估计为1800万美元。

The Museum of Science is initiating a unique approach to its permanent exhibits which concentrates on the process of learning science rather than on the facts to be learned. The first stage, development of "Seeing the Unseen", one of six activity centers, is the focus of this proposal. Guided by the American Association for the Advancement of Science's call for reforms in science teaching and by recent research on learning styles, the Museum will organize its exhibits around six "activity centers". Each center introduces a basic skill, such as observation or experimentation, and prompts a visitor to use the new method in special surrounding exhibits. The project is a breakthrough approach to science learning in the museum setting because it encourages visitors to discover for themselves characteristic scientific activities and habits of analysis. Although the Museum will use many current exhibits in the layout of the new plan, many others will be created which engage visitors interactively in learning science. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $18 million.