EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

  Botanic Gardens are a very important part of the science centre network in the UK, and the rest of the world. They are involved in both real research in botanical science and education and a range of levels. They enjoy a huge visitation from the public and educational groups. The Science and Technology Committee are encouraged to consider the specific and unique role played by botanic gardens in delivering the public understanding of science, and to make sure that botanic gardens are eligible along with other types of science and discovery centres for public funding to support innovation and development in this area. The new Gateway project at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is an excellent example of building on many years of experience in delivering science communication to create a state-of-the-art facility within a botanic garden context.

1.  Botanic Gardens as Science Centres

  There are over 3,000 botanic gardens in the world and they represent a huge diversity in terms of mission, content and approach. However, most of them are publicly funded and encourage visitors. Many of them have active science programmes—especially in the areas of plant taxonomy, biodiversity, evolution and conservation. Most have education and public outreach programmes for adults and children. Even the UK botanic gardens on their own have a combined audience in the millions, representing a very diverse range of people. By interpreting the results of their botanical and ecological research to visitors they are effectively science centres and should be included in the consideration of our national policy and responsibility for promoting science, especially among young people.

2.  Botanic Garden Discovery Centres

  An increasing number of botanic gardens now have a visitor or discovery centre that uses a museum or science centre approach to interpret its collections or scientific work. These discovery centres are generally linked to the collections and can provide a broad range of experiences that are aesthetically pleasing, spiritually uplifting and scientifically enlightening. This is a very rare combination—many science centres are not attractive places in their own right and adults in particular can find the atmosphere very noisy and distracting. In this sense botanic gardens often succeed in bridging the gap between nature park and museum.

3.  Botanic Gardens as Innovators

  Botanic gardens in developing learning opportunities for visitors have not been slow to innovate. Whereas it has become increasingly common for science centres to take well tried and tested ideas from one centre and replicate them at a number of other sites, botanic gardens have generally made an effort to create original and site-specific installations. Also botanic gardens have been great innovators in the use of art to tell science stories, as well as presenting science in an aesthetically pleasing or exciting way. So often the boundaries between science and art are crossed or merged. Working on this boundary creates some very exciting and interesting work. As well as RBGE, the Eden Project in Cornwall and the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew show particularly good examples of an innovative approach.

4.  Botanic Gardens bringing New Audiences to Science

  Botanic gardens attract people of many different types. At the RBGE our biggest audience is families, especially parents with very young children. But at the same time we get a large number of older people with a passion for gardening and 20- and 30-somethings who are attracted by our programme of art exhibitions. This mix of audiences means it is possible to reach people who probably would not ever visit conventional science centres (older people without children for example). Our research has also shows a broad pattern when it comes to social class and ethnic or cultural backgrounds.

5.  Botanic Gardens and Real Issues

  Something most science centres and discovery centres are struggling with is how to bring real, contemporary issues to a public debate. Botanic garden specialists are frequently involved in discussion on topical issues, including biodiversity loss, global climate change, genetic engineering, etc, and have found themselves dealing with the media in providing informed opinions. Some botanic gardens have already taken a lead in terms of providing opportunities for public to air these issues with specialists. New developments like the Gateway Project at the RBGE are designed with a space for holding this kind of event. At the same time the development of new media and use of websites will expand the potential for national and international links. Botanic gardens offer real opportunities for people to make changes in their lifestyles as a result of experiences they have had—eg manage their gardens in a more sustainable way, or plan their holidays to have less impact on the environment.

6.  Botanic Gardens and Partnerships

  Rather than competing with conventional science and discovery centres botanic gardens have traditionally forged working partnerships with many different types of science education provider, including museums, zoos and nature parks. RBGE, for example, collaborates with more than 50 other institutions. It provides a platform for other research institutes, especially those funded by the Scottish Executive, and for agencies like Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency. There is a long history of collaboration between botanic gardens and universities (botanic gardens like Oxford and Cambridge are actually part of the University) both in this country and abroad. These connections with academic institute enhance and enrich the content and provide academic authority. Universities often see botanic gardens as a platform for popularising their science.

7.  Botanic Gardens providing Role Models for Young People

  Botanical research is often more comprehensible than many areas of science, particularly as many people having an interest in natural history, plants or gardens, and increasingly we are doing this in a personal way by presenting information directly via the people involved in research. This gives us the opportunity to present scientists as real people and to offer young people role models of scientists involved in exciting, dynamic and creative science projects, often linked to conservation. There is big potential, especially in areas where there is poor uptake of university science courses, to inspire school students to study at university and take up a career in biological science.

8.  Botanic Gardens and Public Funding

  Most botanic gardens have a range of different funding sources including a mix of corporate sponsorship, grants, earned income and government funding. It is important that botanic gardens can compete on an even playing field with other science and discovery centres for funding for the public understanding of science. There is plenty of evidence of innovative and high profile science communication taking place in botanic gardens across the country and whereas some of the funding agencies now accept botanic gardens are playing an important role, well worth supporting, others still need to see the full value of the unique contribution botanic gardens can make.

June 2007