It’s Only Natural… History

December 21, 2009

Slover Linett presented evaluation findings this week that will help the education department at the nation's busiest natural history museum plan for a new learning center.

The study, a front-end evaluation commissioned by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, used qualitative interviews to explore how museum visitors engage with science content and how an innovative learning center might connect them experientially to the museum's scientists and collections.

The museum's education and outreach team had selected Slover Linett in the Summer of 2009 to conduct the evaluation. In addition to interviewing visitors at Natural History and other Smithsonian museums and outdoors on the Mall, the firm profiled relevant success stories from around the informal learning field.

The project was led by Slover Linett's senior associate for museums, Sarah Lee, with qualitative interviews conducted by senior researcher Woody Carter, PhD and manager of innovation initiatives Kate Flinner. Partner Peter Linett visited the museum this week with Lee for the presentation and discussion.

We're honored to be helping a great museum as it takes a creative step forward with its visitors.

Category: Museums

re:search newsletter

More info

Keep in touch. Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter, re:search, and be the first to know about our reports, articles, professional dialogues, and more.

Our blog. Your comments. Jump in.

May 2, 2012 | Peter

Alan Alda warms up science communication with the Flame Challenge

 »

How would you explain flame — what is it? what’s going on in there? — to an 11 year old? I grew up watching Alda play an army doctor on M*A*S*H, but his acting and PBS interviewing work have led him to some real-world questions about how science is conveyed to us laymen. In partnership with Stony Brook University, where Alda teaches scientists how to improvise and “be more authentically themselves” with the public, he has organized a contest for scientists and anyone else who wants to enter. Submissions are now being judged...by an 11 year old near you.

More »