2 Letters to the Editor in today's Phila. Inquirer refer to the prior
article (via philly.com):
Hurray for Karen Heller's take on what was once the Franklin Institute
("The dumbing down of science," July 28). As a child in the 1930s I
learned much there about physics, chemistry and biology - and the
Industrial Revolution - from the beautifully constructed participatory
machinery and apparatuses. Now it's all hit-and-run dazzle, giving new
meaning to superficiality.
Ted Shakespeare
Philadelphia
Enjoys the Franklin
Perhaps if Karen Heller had purchased a family membership, actually
brought her children with her, and packed a cooler for lunch, she would
have enjoyed the Franklin a bit more (Inquirer, July 28). Where else can
you walk through a beating heart, track the speed of your fastball, and
marvel over Foucault's pendulum? Our family enjoys the Franklin two or
three times a year. If this is "dumbing down science," someone should
tell my father. He's been taking his children and grandchildren there
for almost as long as he has been a professor of physics.
Deirdre Brody Bernstein
Rosemont
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Matthew White
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 1:05 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Article about The Franklin (Institute)
I could not find the article on the The Philadelphia Inquirer website, I
was wondering if someone who did could post the link or the article to
the list.
Given that, and the fact that I have not been to The Franklin (whatever
name it has gone under) in kind of a long time, I cannot speak to this
particular example, but is it really true that science centers are being
dumbed down or is this just one of those narratives with enough
truthiness to make knowing heads nod in agreement and disappointment?
I know we could all site examples of this dumbing down. More commercial
exhibits, more pop culture characters, iMax movies showing more popular
fare and less educational films. There is certainly a trend here. But on
the other hand I have been going to Science Centers and museums pretty
steadily since the Maryland Science Center opened in the 1970's and I
and many other people I know have noticed an increase in the overall
science content in science centers. Yes there might be a Star Wars
exhibit in one gallery, but in another there is some pretty high end
stuff on Risk or Women's Health. More science centers invest more in
adult education than I can ever remember before not only in exhibitions
but also in trips, workshops, and even discussions of ethics and
evolution. Science centers have exhibits and work shops in current
science and findings. More and more science centers are hiring or
working directly with scientists of all stripes. Many science centers
and museums are "unpacking" science as a process through labs, digs, and
other participatory activities.
Again, I am not saying there aren't "dumb" things happening in science
centers that feed this meme. But on balance? Considering all of the
public offerings of a given science center? I don't think so. I can
remember when science centers would balance a beach ball on a blow dryer
smack a label that simply identified the Bernoulli Effect and called it
a day. Science Center, by and large, don't do that anymore. They provide
context, explanation, and personal demonstrations.
Can anyone prove this one way or another? I know there are methods of
tracking reading levels of print over time, has anyone done a study of
exhibition content over time and can actually demonstrate a decline or
increase in science content.
I also apologize if this has been covered in this or another forum
before. I have been out of direct employment of museum or science center
in some time, so maybe this row has been hoed. If so, point me to a
reference and I will shut up.
Thanks for your attention.
Matthew White
Former museum
professional and current PhD student
History of Science
University of Florida
On Tuesday, July 29, 2008, at 09:51AM, "Paul Orselli" <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
>The Philadelphia Inquirer recently published a biting article and
commentary about the rebranding and subsequent "dumbing down" of "The
Franklin" (formerly The Franklin Institute Science Museum.)
>
>Although the columnist was writing about her hometown museum, her
comments could easily describe the situation elsewhere in the (science)
museum biz.
>
>Link to article and commentary via the ExhibiTricks blog:
<http://blog.orselli.net>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------
>
>Paul Orselli, President and Chief Instigator
>
>Paul Orselli Workshop (POW!)
>1684 Victoria Street
>Baldwin, NY 11510
>
>FREE museum exhibit design resources:
><http://www.orselli.net>
>
>(516) 223-1043 voice
>(516) 238-2797 mobile
>
>=========================================================
>Important Subscriber Information:
>
>The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail
message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should
read "help" (without the quotes).
>
>If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message
to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read
"Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
>
>
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail
message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should
read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message
to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read
"Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
|
