ABSTRACT
Science museums present interactive exhibits designed to surprise and intrigue visitors, offering them the opportunity to learn about natural phenomena by engaging their innate wonder and curiosity. the term "scientific inquiry" has been used in school settings to refer to the processes of science—activities like observing, hypothesizing, questioning, experimenting, explaining, and communicating. The National Science Education Standards argue that engaging students in the practice of inquiry helps them understand science concepts and the nature of science, as well as develop skills to become independent inquirers about the natural world. Many researchers and practitioners value social interactions as a key ingredient for learning. In informal learning environments like museums, insights and discoveries often happen in multigenerational groups, fed by each member's interests and expertise as the group interacts with exhibits. Exhibit developers and visitor researchers have tried to boost group inquiry in museums by creating and studying "open-ended" exhibits that support multiple users, particularly in the last decade.
