Museum of Natural History: An opportunity for families to enhance learning and improve practice.

Τhe nature of scientific research goes beyond the learning of concepts and basic manipulation to the key factors of engaging families in identifying relevant evidence and reflecting on their interpretation. School is not the only source for science learning (Bell et al., 2009). A visit to a Natural History museum and the conversations that take place are social but also include learning conversations. The learning conversations that take place at the museum consist of formal and informal learning (Lucas, et al., 1986). Visiting a museum of Natural History is an educational experience, which offers families experiences that cannot be obtained within the formal education environment. Tunnicliffe (2000) and Ash (2003) found that museums are excellent sources of cognitive experiences. When families visit informal setting such as natural history museums, the occasion provides the members of the family with the opportunity to expand their own and their community’s existing knowledge or possibly to construct new knowledge. This paper draws upon a pilot study which focused on aspects of the opportunities of learning by families who observe natural history dioramas. In order to reassure the quality of the study and the observation of families’ interactions in the Natural History museum, the researchers take into consideration and apply the Ethical guidelines for Educational Research (BERA, 2011). This study explores the opportunities which a natural history museum provides families by identify various aspects of biological and physical science captured in the moment of time portrayed in a given diorama.

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