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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Scientific communication in museums through presential mediation : Case study le Pavillon des Sciences

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description

In science museums and science centers, "presential" mediation positioning a mediator and the public in the co-presence of objects within a dedicated environment, remains relatively unknown. From a Communication Science perspective, analyzing actual situations transcends the simple provision of information, and focuses on the significance of third party forms within the construction of meaning. Presential communication is transient and centered on the words and gestures of an embodied third party. It provides a greater potential for interactions around practical situations, unlike other media (i.e. an exhibition). The purpose of this research is to question the rightful place of these specificities within mediation processes in the Pavillon des Sciences, a french science center. Using qualitative methods and an immersive approach (observations, interviews), this research has enabled the analysis of mediation situations and adopted the viewpoint of both the explainers and the public. Scientific mediators propose different forms of access to scientific knowledge to the public, based on the exploration of a theme and presentation of an experimental approach. These results renew a hybrid form of sui generis communication, between museal interpretation and sociocultural activities, through the presentation of a variety of signifiers.