Learning in the Science Centre: A Museum-School

This is a proposal for a debate about the educational role of science centres and
museums in the 21st century. The focus for this debate is the first experience of a primary school in a Science Centre, in Portugal, where scientists and educators use practical work and cutting edge technology to reshape science education and promote scientific culture. All over the world, science centres and museums are building strong links with formal education to create museum-schools that extend their educational role in innovative ways.

The Pavilion of Knowledge, the largest science centre in Portugal, has been working on this new concept of schooling – the Ciencia Viva School. Classrooms and other school facilities were built in this science centre to host a week-long intensive science learning experience, engaging each year more than 1.500 children, from 30 different schools. This museum-school has a close partnership with the Lisbon City Council, which has been providing school transport and meals to the pupils participating in the
project.

A key innovation in this museum-school is the direct involvement of research laboratories – these institutions have their researchers working alongside teachers and museum educators.

Ciencia Viva has been working closely with other science centres and researchers in partnership projects involving schools and science centres. This presentation will build on these collaborations to address, at an international level, the new educational
needs brought up by massive social and economic changes across the world.

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