%0 Journal Article
%T Museums as brokers of participation: how visitors view the emerging role of European science centres and museums in policy
%A Andrea Bandelli
%A Elly A. Konijn
%D 2015
%V Special Issue: Communications
%N Spring 2015
%K co-development
%K museum governance
%K public engagement
%K public participation
%K science centres
%K science museums
%K science policy
%X Science centres and museums in Europe traditionally offer opportunities for public participation, such as dialogues, debates and workshops. In recent years, starting with the support of grants from the European Commission, the purpose of these initiatives is increasingly more connected with the policy making processes where science centres play a role as brokers between the public and other stakeholders. This article begins an investigation on how these two levels of participation – the participation of museums in policy, and the participation of visitors in museums – are related in seven European science centres and museums. The results suggest that science centres and museums are regarded by their visitors as potential platforms to facilitate public participation in policy, especially in countries where the general infrastructure for public participation in science is weak.
%Z In the rest of this article the terms 'science centre' and 'science museum' will be used interchangeably, since we focus on the public participation of visitors in institutions that display, discuss and engage with contemporary science through exhibitions and programmes.

%Z We use the term 'emerging role' to emphasise that there are still profound differences across science centres and museums in how they interpret this role, and that also within each institution it is a quickly evolving and developing concept.

%I The Science Museum Group
%@ 2054-5770
%B eng
%U https://journal.sciencemuseum.ac.uk/article/brokers-of-participation/
%J Science Museum Group Journal