The bureaucratic dismantling of TECNO-ITINTEC (1979–1993): The politics of science popularization and the first interactive science museum in South America

This article examines the creation, operation and eventual closure of TECNO-ITINTEC, which was South America's first interactive science museum. Established in Peru in 1979 under the Institute of Industrial Technology Research and Technical Standards (ITINTEC), the museum was a direct response to global trends in science communication that promoted science education through experimentation and hands-on experiences in science centers. Although it functioned as a science center, its founders called it an ‘interactive science museum’ to signal its role as an educational authority and to align it with the state-led vision of national development. The Peruvian scientists who founded the museum viewed science centers as apolitical, modern institutions for educating future generations, which coincided with the military regime's goals of industrial modernization and national development. When the military regime ended, the museum's founders ensured its continued operation by aligning with the developmental ideals of the Belaúnde government (1980−1985). Later, during the García administration (1985−1990), the museum navigated economic challenges by reducing its budget and relying on the resourcefulness of its staff. However, the museum ultimately failed to survive the liquidation of its parent institution under Fujimori's neoliberal reforms that withdrew public support for scientific and technological research. This process of bureaucratic dismantling led to the museum's closure and the transfer of its exhibitions to a deteriorating storage space at the Lima Zoo, where the exhibits were left in neglect. This study explores how museums succeed or fail within their sociopolitical environments, drawing from various primary sources, including newspaper articles, legal documents, institutional reports and interviews with former staff and founders. Rather than evaluating the museum solely on its educational or popular success, the study examines the broader political, economic and institutional forces that shaped its rise and demise, offering critical insights for the study of science museums in Latin America and beyond.