Education and “Edutainment”

Beginning with the positive topic of the value of museums for lifelong learning, this chapter initiates the transition to topics that are more controversial or distressing for some interviewees. As sites of informal learning that at their best ignite an “inspirational spark” in visitors, museums can generate a powerful, lasting interest in science. Blending education with entertainment, or “edutainment,” may facilitate learning and stimulate interest, or it may bow to market forces and “dumb down” scientific content, sacrificing loftier goals to generate revenue. Interviewees help convey the complexity of achieving the proper balance. Additional topics in this chapter include the appropriate use of technology and the requisite level of seriousness when humans are the focus of museum exhibits.