Natural History Museums as a Space of Science Education in the Knowledge-Based Society

Abstract

The museum activity is more and more often aimed at integration with local communities, organization of scientific debates and intercultural dialogue, expansion of social network and framework for communication and mediation of scientific issues. Museums generate learning potential and create a social culture. The aim of the research was to diagnose the viability of natural history museums as the spaces of open training and increasing social participation in education for balanced development. Furthermore, it examined the possibility to create a strong interaction between schools at all levels and institutions of informal education, exchange of experience in the field of educational projects and the development of cooperation principles to strengthen the university-school-natural history museum relations. In the research conducted in the years 2016-2017 participated 110 students of teaching specialization in various fields of studies. The results of the research are connected with students’ attitudes towards new role of museums as institutions popularizing knowledge and sharing knowledge. The outcomes enable the diagnosis in terms of preparing young people to pursue participatory activities for the local community and may be the starting point for the development of proposals of educational solutions increasing students’ awareness in the field of natural history museums’ educational potential. Keywords: knowledge-based society, natural history museum, science education.