1.1  MLA welcomes this inquiry into the role of Science Centres, particularly those elements of the inquiry looking at public engagement and attracting young people to science subjects and scientific careers. We feel that this area of activity is addressed particularly strongly by museums, libraries and archives and would like to bring this to the committee's attention. We feel unable to comment on the issue of funding for the centres.

  1.2  The rich and stimulating collections of museums, libraries and archives are comprehensive across many subject areas and accessible across England and the wider United Kingdom. MLA is working with the sector in England to improve the care of collections and increase access to collections by users, including the use of science-based collections. An example of this is best illustrated by a recent project in Yorkshire.

  The "Creative Minds" project worked with museums, libraries and archives across the Yorkshire and Humber Region to provide young people with learning opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths (S.T.E.M) from 2003 to 2006. Over 15,000 learning opportunities were delivered to young people, their teachers and those who work in the sector. Evaluation confirmed that the sector has established itself as a provider of STEM related learning. This project was managed by Museums, Libraries and Archives Yorkshire and funded by Yorkshire Forward. Projects included:

WACKY RACES

  Over 4,000 Primary School children across Yorkshire and Humberside took up the Wacky Races Challenge. Children were tasked to design a model vehicle which could propel itself without using batteries or a motor. Each class entering the challenge received a free resource pack providing them with ideas and inspiration for designing and making their vehicle and carrying out investigations into resistance, friction etc. Wacky races encouraged problem solving and enterprising skills as well as supporting the Science & Design Technology Curriculum for KS2.

INVESTIGATE

  Investigate had three themes, Science, Archaeology, and the Natural World. Resource packs were designed for school based clubs to help encourage exploration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), and aimed at upper key stage 2 children.

  Investigate! aimed to:

—  Promote skills in scientific enquiry.

—  Create opportunities for problem-solving.

—  Develop higher order thinking skills.

—  Generate collaborative work.

—  Give children the chance to become creative investigators.

  Some STEM clubs took place in libraries and museums.

  1.3  Libraries are working to improve stock and services. It is easy to take for granted the access offered by libraries to books and digital resources alongside the combination of community location and trusted space. For many people, particularly those with no computer at home, it is library resources that allow first access to quality reference material. MLA has negotiated digital access for public library authorities to the Oxford University Press reference online services—this means fast access to top-quality, authoritative information on every subject—from Art to Zoology.

  1.4  The unique collections of archives, particularly university archives, include the papers of many major scientists, contemporary and historic and other collections documenting scientific research. Archivists at the University of Bath collate a list of the papers of contemporary scientists—http://www.bath.ac.uk/ncuacs/catlist4.htm

  1.5  The Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine is recognised internationally for both the strength of its library collections, book and manuscript, as for its exhibitions and activities to promote the understanding of medical history and science. http://library.wellcome.ac.uk/

  1.6  Museums, with their wealth of collections, displays and education work have much to offer to this inquiry. The national science collections are well known, including The Natural History Museum, The National Maritime Museum and the National Museum of Science and Industry (NMSI). These major national collections and sites are well supplemented across the country by numerous regional and local museums. Subject networks, loans and partnerships (often supported by MLA) ensure cooperation and best use of collections across all museums.

  A regular family programme at NMSI is "meet the scientist" or "meet the engineer" weekends. These consist of teams of scientists or engineers from Manchester or Salford's Universities and/or science and engineering companies putting on a series of table-top exhibits, including interactive exhibits. The topics covered are relevant to people's lives and thus appeal to visitors. The aim of the events is to make people more aware of current science and engineering topics and the work of scientists and engineers. This is in part with the aim of inspiring young people, in the informal environment of the Museum, to consider a career as a scientist or engineer. Recent events have included mobile phone technology (Salford University and BT) and designing jet engines with minimising environmental impact in mind (Manchester University and Rolls Royce). Over 1,000 people a day attend these events.

  1.7  MLA, through our Renaissance programme, is investing £150 million from DCMS in regional museums between 2002 and 2008 to deliver better services, increased numbers of visitors and improved care for collections. The sector has suffered from under-investment for years and this investment is partly to improve what was a difficult situation as well as recognition of the importance of these museums and their collections within local communities. However the programme is still not fully funded in six of the English regions. Our investment has attracted other funding of £300 million between 2002 and 2006.

  1.8  Many of the museums we work with hold significant science and engineering collections. For example:

—  London Transport Museum—significant transport collections.

—  The Oxford University Museums of Natural History and the History of Science—covering all major sciences.

—  Hancock Museum—Natural History collections.

—  Manchester Museum—Natural History collections.

—  Bristol Museums and Galleries—industrial and engineering collections.

—  Hull Museum Service—Maritime Museum.

—  Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service—maritime and geology collections.

—  Leicester City Museums—natural history collections.

  1.9  One major outcome of this investment has been a significant increase in education activity and interpretation to schools and families. Museums are working actively to encourage learning, support delivery of the curriculum and increase attainment in school work. There are many excellent (and fun) science-based activities taking place. What follows is a small example of such work.

  1.10  SEARCH is a hands-on education centre in Gosport using real museum collections for learning, offering activity sessions for schools in history and natural sciences. In general more schools visit the centre for history activities than for science but more families visit SEARCH for science than for history. SEARCH delivers the following activity in partnership with The Royal Navy Submarine Museum (RNSM).

  In 2004 over 400 children and 74 adults took part in science activities targeted at Year 6 pupils and linked to standard attainment tests (SATs). Beyond school activity, family audiences were actively involved by attracting visits from the families of the children involved. Free two-hour workshops for families were run on a drop-in basis during Easter and free transport was available. RNSM offered a one hour workshop focusing on forces, floating and sinking as well as a guided tour of a World War Two submarine. SEARCH focused on classification systems within natural sciences.

  The schools recorded a greater interest and enthusiasm in science for Year 6 pupils, as well as an increase in attainment reflected in improved SATs scores for science. As part of the family visits, some adults commented how much easier science was to understand when it was "hands on". Pupils stated that they remembered and applied the knowledge gained during the workshops to their SATs tests. There was also evidence that pupils understood scientific concepts better as a result of the practical nature of the workshops. This was the first year of a project which due to its success is now in its third year.

  1.11  The Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (RAMM), founded in 1840, RAMM is a large regional museum that attracts over a quarter of a million visitors a year. "Light Fantastic: Art from Science" has been one of their great successes. This exhibition showed highly magnified images of medicines and minerals. Photographed through a microscope using polarised light filters, the images are brilliant in colour as the directions of light beams are changed by travelling through different materials.

  Themed workshops addressed various ways of turning and spinning polarised light filters showing changing patterns and colours; rock sections and slides and geological maps. Microscopes from RAMM's collection were also on display. A Children's Science Lecture from Exeter University Physics Faculty was sold out. Over three months, the exhibition attracted over 25,000 visitors including a significant number of 14 to 18 year olds. From entries in the visitors book and anecdotal comments the exhibition has created a genuine interest in science and microscopy.

  1.12  Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH) develops and delivers science based workshops for secondary groups at the Museum and Botanic Garden. They work as part of a group known as the Real World Science group which is a partnership between OUMNH, The Natural History Museum, The Hancock Museum and Manchester Museum. Using their collections, galleries, educators and scientists the partnership aims to inspire secondary science students.

  1.13  The Museum of the History of Science at the University of Oxford has instruments and models, which illustrate the history of science. Sessions cover the history of medicine using 17th century books with original illustrations and astronomy using 17th and 18th century globes and orreries. The Museum has collections of cameras, optical toys and astrolabes (early astronomical calculating instrument) which can be used to look at the rotation of the stars and are very good for working with gifted and talented children. As part of a special exhibition of astrolabes, a workshop was developed involving modelling astrolabes and building problem-solving skills. It was used by the Oxford Access Scheme, a University organisation that raises aspirations in able GCSE students from backgrounds not traditionally associated with Oxford Universities. The museum also offers Sixth From Study Days and has run Family Friendly workshops on Understanding Einstein; Marconi; and Drawing with Leonardo.

  1.14  Both the above Oxford University Museums take part in "Wow! How?"—a one-day drop-in science fair aimed at enthusing young people and their families about science. Twenty experiment stations, manned by student and staff volunteers, give children and their parents a hands-on experience of some of the most weird and wonderful aspects of science. Activities include making slime, building and launching rockets, making batteries out of fruit, getting DNA from peas, handling insects and much more.

  1.15  Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust offers apprenticeship/GNVQ courses on historic metalwork and engineering techniques. Geography, Geology and Leisure & Tourism sessions have been developed for KS3 and 4 whilst Enginuity hosts pre-school and Early Years provision. This includes "Tiny Engineers" in partnership with Sure Start as well as "Gadgetdom"—a demonstration theatre with vacation, weekend and schools programmes on technology and science. For older children the museum has devised and delivered a number of Interactive presentations based on design & technology, science and invention for the 14-19 yr range.

  1.16  Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, working with Thinktank Trust, has devised a community project entitled "We made it". The project will see local communities develop a self-curated exhibition of objects from the museum's Designated Science and Industry collection. It will go on display at Thinktank, Birmingham's Science Museum, and there will be traineeship and placement opportunities for local young people.

  1.17  Leicestershire's Snibston Discovery Park, like many other museums, runs a science club on weekends and in school holidays. The clubs are run in blocks of 6-12 weeks with approx. 20-30 children aged 8-13 attending each week at a cost of £2.00 per child per week. The club is run by one person with additional staff such as science ambassadors, SETpoint Leicestershire, electric/water companies, etc. brought in for specific topics/weeks. They also use trainee science teachers to assist with the clubs. Activities use the galleries at Snibston as inspiration or as an introduction to a topic and the club members are also able to use the galleries. Activities are as practical as possible and aim to cover a broad range of topics to keep all the children interested. Children compete for medals and have taken part in national competitions run by the Royal Engineers and Royal Navy.

1.18  CONCLUSION

  MLA see museums, libraries and archives as natural spaces for encouraging understanding and learning for all ages. Our sector has vast collections that excite and inspire across hundreds of topics. The examples above demonstrate the sector's worth in encouraging public engagement in scientific debate as well as the considerable support for schools and teachers. Some projects cite the added target of attracting students to science subjects and careers. Museums, libraries and archives are a significant asset alongside Science Centres.

June 2007