Museums and the Public History of Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine

Project Team:

Principal Investigator:

Dr Tim Boon, Science Museum

Co-Investigators: 

Professor Helen Weinstein, Institute for the Public Understanding of the Past, University of York

Professor Graeme Gooday, University of Leeds

Award Information:

This research networking grant funded three workshops to provide an opportunity for historians of science, technology and medicine to meet museum professionals to discuss a series of issues in the public culture of the history of science.

The popularity of historical leisure pursuits today is significant. Surveys show that more than 50% British adults express interest in learning more about family history. Television history programmes often have two million viewers, and historical magazines have monthly circulations of 80,000. This research network will explore the potential of this phenomenon for museums of science and technology to produce new kinds of historical exhibitions and events that display and interpret their historical collections more effectively. Simultaneously, it will look at the potential of these museums for successful history of science knowledge exchange from universities.