Interpretation of Visible Labs: The Benefits and Drawbacks

Abstract

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2025Natural history museums (NHMs) face a conundrum: they appeal broadly to audiences yet struggle to compete with other informal science venues such as science centers, aquariums, zoos, and botanical gardens (Steiner & Crowley, 2013). NHMs are unique in that they hold collections, and many are also sites of active research. More recently, some of these NHMs have begun to showcase their research to the public via visible lab spaces. These attributes can position NHMs as distinctive sites for public engagement. Despite their potential, relatively few studies have examined the unique role of visible labs in informal learning venues such as NHMS. This study investigated the interpretative strategies used within visible labs and examined how these strategies aligned with educational frameworks. A case study approach including interviews with museum professionals engaged in interpretive planning and interpretation for visible labs and supplemented with document analysis was employed. Findings show that the unique features of visible labs include the process of science as a learning outcome, the demystification of scientists and science, and personalization and connection between the public and scientists. However, to leverage these benefits, scientists in visible labs need more support and validation. These findings demonstrate that visible labs are a unique resource for NHMs, adding to their value and separating them from other informal science venues