The 1990s were marked as the Decade of the Brain, in response to rapidly increasing interest, by lay audience and scientists alike, on the study of neuroscience (Herculano-Houzel, 2002). From this decade onward, neuroscience gained prominence in the general public; despite this increased interest, however, a decline in the interest of young people in pursuing scientific careers in general and a widespread scientific ignorance in the general populace were observed worldwide in the last 30 years (Gouw et al., 2016; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2016;Osborne et al., 2003). In this context, outreach programs which promote positive and favorable attitudes toward (neuro)science and (neuro)scientists, as well as a generally favorable attitude toward learning science, is an emerging matter of concern (Sperduti et al., 2012). Attitudes are important affective-motivational components of science education which include "the feelings, beliefs and values held about an object that may be the enterprise of science, school science, the impact of science on society or scientists themselves" (Dekker et al., 2012;

The Open Practical Laboratory in the Neurosciences is an intervention that seeks to improve the knowledge of the neurosciences by elementary school students and to promote better attitudes in relation to neuroscience, science in general, and scientists. It consists in practical and demonstration activitities on the theme of the neurosciences. This intervention strategy was applied in four public schools in a municipality in Southeastern Pará, Brazil characterized by low performance in educational reviews in Brazil. The intervention improved students’ knowledge about the neurosciences, and promoted better attitudes in relation to science and scientists, in comparison to students which did not go through the intervention. Results suggest that scientific outreach strategies can produce results beyond immediate increases in knowledge, promoting better attitudes in relation to science.