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Science centers and museums are currently experimenting to strengthen the participation of the public in two-way conversations between the public and the institution. Eventually, these activities will lead to a stronger role of the public in the decision-making process of the museum. We analyzed the current situation faced by science museums in Europe in light of the recent discourse on public engagement with science and identified the main barriers and obstacles that prevent actual decision making of the public within the institutions. Finally, we discuss suggestions for solutions.

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As science museums and centres (SMC) broaden their practices to include the development of scientific citizenship, evaluation needs also to take account of this dimension of their practices. It requires complex methods to understand better the impacts of public participation in activities mediated by SMC, including their impacts on the governance of the SMC themselves.