This chapter reflects on the recent fate of the Palais de la Découverte, a unique Parisian institution that embodies democratic access to science. More than a museum, it offers direct, rigorous encounters between the public and practicing scientists, spaces for dialogue, curiosity, and shared understanding. Its renovation aimed at deepening this mission, only to be abruptly halted, signaling a troubling retreat from science as a shared civic resource. This possible loss is emblematic of broader challenges: declining scientific literacy, public disengagement, and institutional shifts away from foundational education in favor of trend-driven themes. Drawing on André Gorz and Kohei Saito’s distinction between “open” and “locking” technologies, this chapter warns against the alienation of the general public from increasingly complex technological solutions being implemented into our society, if not scientifically well-educated. Without robust science communication, these technologies risk deepening democratic deficits. The chapter argues for reclaiming open, participatory spaces where citizens are trusted with complex scientific topics, invited into scientific discourse, and given tools to understand and shape the technologies that define their lives. At stake is more than pedagogy or policy, it is the principle that science must remain a shared endeavor, embedded in public life, and open to all who seek to question and learn.