POPULARIZATION OF THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION: MUSEUMS AND SCIENCE CENTE

The history of science is an essential field for understanding the development of knowledge and its relationship to societal contexts.Despite its importance, current education systems often address the history of science in a narrow scope, neglecting to effectively convey its social and historical dimensions to students.This limited approach perpetuates the perception of the history of science as an abstract and detached subject, making it difficult to integrate meaningfully into classroom practices.Museums and science centers provide a significant opportunity to bridge this gap by offering tangible and interactive ways to present the history of science.These institutions have the potential to enhance learning by contextualizing scientific advancements and their impact on society.This research investigates how museums and science centers can play a pivotal role in popularizing the history of science within educational settings.Using a qualitative methodology, the study reviews existing literature and examines contemporary practices in science centers.Examples from both Turkey and the global context are analyzed, including institutions such as the Konya Science Center, Islamic Science and Technology History Museum, Deutsches Museum, and Exploratorium.These cases highlight the effectiveness of museums and science centers in bringing the history of science to life, fostering greater social awareness and engagement.The findings reveal that history of science-themed activities in these institutions enhance students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and historical analysis skills.Furthermore, advancements in digitalization and the rise of virtual science centers offer unprecedented opportunities to make the history of science accessible to broader audiences.The study emphasizes the need to integrate the history of science into educational curricula, develop interactive materials, and launch public awareness campaigns to maximize its societal impact.By leveraging the unique capabilities of museums and science centers, the history of science can be effectively popularized and connected to the wider community.