‘If the Public Knew Better, They Would Act Better’: The Pervasive Power of the Myth of the Ignorant Public

Museums, aquariums, science centres, zoos and other informal science institutions (ISIs) are increasingly committed to engaging the public in issues connected to environmental conservation and sustainability. Although ISIs around the world may hold different views about what information should be shared with the public, they appear to share the belief that ‘if the public knew better, they would act better’. They operate within a common authoritative discourse about the power of education to transmit information from those who are knowledgeable to those who are not (Kelsey, 2001).