This new session format is seeking to leave the comfort zone of science centres and museums, opening the debate on a controversial subject: do science centres need objects to increase their impact, to be innovative and relevant, and to meet their objectives? Does the science center exhibit model need to evolve or are we just doing fine? What are the recent discussions about interactivity all about? Two speakers will take on provocative points of view to stimulate discussion.

Throughout the past Ecsite conferences, we have noticed a trend revolving around the question of the usage of objects in science centre exhibitions and their impact on the science center model. At 2012 conference, the session titled “Time to bridge the gap: Making collection objects interactive”, in which several museums presented their approaches to object interpretation, was crowded with people and triggered a remarkable discussion on the boundaries of the science centre/museum model. Unfortunately there was little time left for debate at the end of the session. We believe that it is both necessary and beneficial to pursue this debate in the open through an interactive session to provoke and stimulate the discussion within the community.