Museums as Tools for Scientific Literacy: getting to know the Museum of Biological Diversity at UNICAMP

Abstract

Natural History Museums play an important role in preservation, research, and scientific communication. The organisms preserved in their collections represent the history of beings that inhabit or once inhabited the Earth, as well as the information associated with them that can be used for different investigative purposes. Moreover, through exhibitions and educational activities, they “translate” the knowledge generated in research institutions to the general public. The purpose of this article is to present the Museum of Biological Diversity (MDBio), whose main objective is to contribute to scientific knowledge and bring the University and Society closer together. MDBio houses, in addition to collections intended for research in different areas, a permanent exhibition open to the public, with thematic rooms that showcase Brazilian biodiversity. Thus, visitors have the opportunity to discover a great diversity of animals that live in different types of environments, such as the City of Ants. As part of its educational program, mainly aimed at schools, the museum offers guided tours for teachers, students, and the general public of different age groups. It also promotes activities related to biodiversity and environmental conservation, such as workshops and exhibitions, the loan of educational collections to schools, and digital media content. In this way, it engages in dialogue with the public, enabling interaction and the exchange of knowledge, and continues to pursue its goals of scientific outreach and education, which are in constant evolution, fostering respect for these environments and their specific fauna and flora.