> 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.

Two articles of interest:

< http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/25977199.html >

< http://blog.orselli.net/2008/07/what-happened-to-science-in-science.html >

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < [log in to unmask] >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
  < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh: 
  < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries: 
  < http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com > 
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh: 
  < http://incline.pghfree.net >
* Public Transit:
  < http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >


--- On Tue, 7/29/08, Matthew White <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> From: Matthew White <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Article about The Franklin (Institute)
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date: Tuesday, July 29, 2008, 1:04 PM
> 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
> >
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