In-Gallery Learning
The Museum of Science is for everyone — and that means creating in-gallery learning experiences that engage all ages in science process skills. Before heading into the Exhibit Halls to interact with visitors, staff train on interpretation best practices, shadow experienced educators, and review activity binders, such as the one for our Predator or Prey? activity. All of this prepares them to scale activities effectively for different audiences.
Activity binders outline the skills visitors will practice during an activity, such as observing, classifying, inferring, and communicating. Each activity includes a variety of learning goals as well as “More to Explore” topics that offer ways to extend the experience for visitors who want to dive deeper. Every visitor should be capable of accomplishing all the goals.
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For Young Learners (ages 0–7) — who represent over a third of all Museum visitors — participating in an in-gallery activity is an opportunity to practice physical, cognitive, and social-emotional skills. We meet young learners where they are and recognize that they’re developing abilities many of us take for granted as adults. Just like any skill, they need opportunities to practice!
Young learners can build understanding of themselves and others by:
• Taking turns and giving personal space (cooperation)
• Sharing within or between groups (empathy)
• Asking questions and exploring new things (confidence)
• Following directions and being gentle (self-control)
In an activity like Predator or Prey?, School-Age and Older visitors (ages 8+) might explore how species characteristics change over generations, how new species develop, and how organisms better adapted to their environment survive longer and produce more offspring with advantageous traits. By the end of the activity, they may take home key vocabulary: evolution and natural selection.
Museum in-gallery learning interns have shared that they were most proud of their newly learned “ability to adapt my approach for different ages” and “to be flexible with visitors—something I had trouble with in the beginning.”
If you’re exploring science activities at home or in your community, here are some tips from our educators: Set expectations, make connections, encourage cooperation, and manage attention spans.
