ABSTRACT
The theme of this chapter relates to the difficulties and tensions that controversy can represent for science museums professionals and their particular institutions. Here, the authors consider data from interviews that were conducted with directors, CEOs, curators, exhibit developers, educators, and facilitators from around the world. These professionals’ narratives highlight tensions related to operational funding; sponsorship; museums’ mandates; community involvement; dissonance among institutions’ staff members; and visitors’ socio-cultural contexts. The authors offer lessons learned, and possible ways to navigate challenges through examples of current museum practices and museum professionals’ reflective insights.
