Museums put curiosity at the heart of science

Standing before an interactive display at Beijing's China Science and Technology Museum, 8-year-old Lele reaches out and traces a swift's flight path as it dances across the screen.

"Why doesn't it sleep in a tree?" he asks.

His mother points to a nearby specimen and explains that all of the swift's toes point forward, making it difficult for the bird to grasp a branch. Even sleep, she tells him, can happen while the bird is in flight.

It is a simple moment of curiosity, but one that captures the experience that science museums across China are increasingly seeking to create — one that focuses less on simply viewing exhibits and more on engaging with science.

The China Science and Technology Museum estimates that science museums nationwide received more than 30 million visitors during this summer's holiday season. More than 100,000 educational and interactive programs were held during the period, as museums explored new ways to combine exhibitions, education and hands-on experiences.

At the Beijing museum, a new exhibition on birds commonly found in the capital combines miniature natural landscapes with more than 100 bird specimens, creating an immersive setting for visitors to explore local wildlife.

Other museums are also tapping into resources unique to their regions.

In northeastern Heilongjiang province, the provincial science museum has staged exhibitions on the region's black soil, highlighting the importance of protecting it. In neighboring Jilin province, a themed exhibition introduces young visitors to the unique ecology of the Changbai Mountains. In Shaanxi province, an exhibition spotlights major technological achievements in fields including aerospace and intelligent manufacturing.

But the shift goes beyond what visitors see behind glass.

Across the country, science museums are bringing classroom-style activities into exhibition spaces, with "science classes" and even "art classes" becoming part of the summer programs at some institutions.

In Sichuan province, the provincial science museum has developed a study program featuring hands-on projects such as reconstructing prehistoric life and activities based on the work of an aerodynamics engineer.

"We hope these study programs can break through the boundaries of traditional exhibition halls, and turn science from being seen into being touched, taken away, and shared," says Wang Huan, director of the Sichuan Science and Technology Museum.

The museum received about 530,000 visitors during the summer, Wang says, while several rounds of its study camps filled soon after registration opened.

Elsewhere, museums are experimenting with different ways to make science more engaging and experiential.

The Xiamen Science and Technology Museum in Fujian province has staged a special exhibition featuring more than 100 rare fossils, alongside an AI-themed parade and live fossil-cleaning demonstrations. The Quanzhou Science and Technology Museum has used real-life challenges, stage performances and evening visits to create what it calls a "science wonder night".

Across Fujian, science museums received more than 2.07 million visitors during the summer, according to the provincial museum system.

The changes also extend beyond individual museums.

In Tianjin, the local science museum has partnered with universities and youth science education organizations to host summer camps and other programs. It also hosted a study activity bringing together young people from Tianjin and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

In the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, the regional science museum joined forces with the Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum on a traveling science program, combining Shenzhen's cutting-edge innovation resources with local science education resources.

In Anhui province, a grassroots science-popularization program has reached 11 areas, with museums in cities including Hefei, Huangshan, Anqing and Huainan organizing activities. In Gansu province, science education resources have been brought to cities and counties along the Hexi Corridor, with local museums, mobile science vans and traveling science museums reaching communities and villages.

Taken together, these programs point to a gradual change in how science museums are being used: from places where visitors primarily look at exhibits to places where they can participate in experiments, activities and educational programs.

Museums are adding more opportunities for visitors to interact with what they see while extending science education beyond major exhibition halls and into communities.

China's National Science Popularization Month began on Tuesday, with the China Science and Technology Museum and museums around the country preparing another round of exhibitions and activities.

For children like Lele, the answer to why a swift does not sleep in a tree may be less important than the question itself — the kind of curiosity science museums increasingly hope visitors will take home with them.