卓京鸿

Abstract The National Science Museum THAILAND is a multi-in-one museum cluster， which is composed of Science Museum， Natural History Museum， Information Technology Museum， Science Square， and two other museums （Museum of Discovery and Innovation， Biodiversity Knowledge and Utilization Center） under construction. The National Science Museum THAILAND has remained committed to raise science awareness of the public， through a series of educational activities， such as science lab， science show， and so on. It makes complicated science knowledge more fun and easy-to-understand.

Keywords National Science Museum THAILAND， museum cluster， exhibition， education

0 Introduction

The National Science Museum THAILAND aims to be a center of excellence in learning-center development， management and utilization， to better promote the public awareness of science. It has particular two niche areas of research： science communication， the natural history and biodiversity of Thailand.

The National Science Museum THAILAND has three museums and one center： （1）The Science Museum displays more than 250 hands-on exhibits and model about science and technology in everyday life； （2）The Natural History Museum displays knowledge about the evolution of life and the diversity of living creatures ranging from single cell organisms to the animal kingdom； （3）The Information Technology Museum has been developed to provide visitors with an understanding of the basic principles of communication， computers， networks and information technology； （4）The Science Square provides an intellectual choice for families and young people to spend an enjoyable time discovering the fascinating world of science and cutting edge technology.

1 Exhibition

1.1 The Science Museum

Come and discover science in new ways， there are no text books at the National Science Museum THAILAND. You can learn about science in everyday life across many subjects， including scientific discovery and theories， the Earth， architecture， robotics， forces and motion， geology and the traditional technologies of Thailand. With over 10000 square meters of permanent exhibitions of hands-on and discovery exhibits there is something for everyone here.

1.2 The Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum invites visitors to learn about all things natural. Exploring big questions like the formation and development of the Earth to discovering microbes so small， millions can fit on the tip of a sewing needle. The diversity of plants and animals found here in Thailand （and neighbor countries） is a main focus of the museum and for its team. The museum itself is an impressive specimen collection house and research unit for Thailands biodiversity， and the only institute of this kind in the country. It is also one of the leading taxidermy units for scientific collection and study in Thailand.

1.3 The Information Technology Museum

The Information Technology Museum is a place to discover how people communicate. With lots of interactive elements， you can explore how the communication of information has developed from early man， up until the fast paced technologies of the modern day. At the Information Technology Museum， you are invited to take a trip both back and forward in time on a journey through the story of communication technology， from smoke signals to 4G and beyond！ Hosting an array of different communication methods and interactive approaches， the Information Technology Museum is a great place to reflect on how far humans have come since early man whilst still being amazed at how fast and furious the future arrives upon on all.

1.4 The Science Square

Science Square is the National Science Museums learning center in the heart of Bangkok city. It hosts travelling exhibitions that change every 4～6 months and has a number of permanent features and activities such as the world famous exhibition "Dialogue in the Dark" （Figure 1）.

"Dialogue in the Dark" is an interactive exhibition where visitors are led by blind guides through a specially constructed and fully darkened space. Take a walk through familiar environments such as a street or a park without the sense you rely on the most your sight. With a blind person to lead you and provide security， you will discover a world without pictures. Only experiencing one hour can you realize the difficulties faced by disabled person in his daily life， which reminds us that we should bring more care and love to those suffering from disabled difficulties.

2 Education

2.1 Science Lab

Become a real scientist in the science lab. Discover the phenomena in our daily lives： ask questions and experiment then find and record the answers. There are many programs covering different topics：

（1）"Cheeky Chocolate". Make chocolate treats to take home and discover the science behind them！ Understand where chocolate comes from and the process of making it. Explore factors affecting the taste of chocolate e.g. viscosity， melting and ingredients.

（2）"Light and Shadows". With series of experiments， take a glimpse into the properties of light， for example how light travels and how shadows form. Understand the importance of light， the formation of shadows and how sundials work.

（3）"Kitchen Chemistry". Explore and learn about chemical reactions using things commonly found in your kitchen. Understand the difference between physical and chemical changes. Define and differentiate exothermic and endothermic reactions. Observe chemical reactions by applying sensory perception.

（4）"Lung Power". Have a go at approximating your own lung capacity with your friends. Test your lung capacity as you explore the respiratory system and its function in breathing. Understand the respiratory organs and their functions.

2.2 Science Show

Be ready to be amazed. The crazy science shows will blow your mind！ The science shows of the National Science Museum THAILAND have become widely popular extra-curricular science activities here in Thailand. Using the spectacle of experiments to explain science， both children and adults can enjoy the wonders of science， with the wonders explained！ Let us get involved and giggle with science.

（1）"The Egg Show". Did you know science surround us in everyday life？ Take eggs for example， a vital food type that has magic behind them. But it's not magic， it's science！ Come and be wowed by things you never knew about eggs！

（2）"Energy Show". How important is energy in everyday life？ In this show， through experiments， we see examples of how humans use energy such as the ignition cylinder and explore different ways we can generate electricity.

（3）"The Bump Show". Come and enjoy the Bump show！ Want to know more about the science behind a bump？ Explore the science behind collisions in everyday life， from bumping your head to crashing cars or bouncing balls.

（4）"Pressure". We might think that air is untouchable， formless and weightless. The show presents that air can be touched and audiences are enjoy with vacuum products， natural fog， flaming and collapsible cans.

2.3 Others Events

Outreach programs help brining science to people's doorsteps and allows the National Science Museum THAILAND to be part of local school or community activities. There are three kinds of outreach programs： science caravan （mobile museum）， science express （school visit） and science at the mall （community outreach）. The staffs of science caravan come from each department in the museum， and they will go to various regions of Thailand and neighboring countries for 3 to 7 days with their scientific experiments， scientific show and some exhibits. The exhibition tour is held once a month and mostly exhibited in schools and stores.

Besides， "the Research Show by Naturalist" （Figure 2） also deserve further study and are worth referring. It is held once every week or every other week， and covers a wide range of subjects including plants， animals and minerals. Museum researchers make a lecture and answer questions for young people. In virtue of the rich collections， they can use varied specimens during the classes. These shows inspire participants to have a deep insight into science， eliminate the gap between the public and the scientists， and encourage them take science as their career.

3 Conclusions

Leading at the forefront of science communication in South East Asia， the National Science Museum THAILAND is committed to making science accessible to everyone. Its mission is to accumulate local wisdom and communicate science， and to promote science learning in the society. The National Science Museum THAILAND is focused on presenting relevant science-based experiences for people of all ages and in as many places as possible， in order to enhance understanding and promote enjoyment. And it hopes to develop a community of citizens who value science， its role in individual lives and in the development of the nation.

References

[1]National Science Museum THAILAND[EB/OL]. http：//www.nsm.or.th/

[2]CHEN K. Exhibition and education of the National Science Museum THAILAND[J]. Nature and Science， 2011（4）： 42-43.

[3]LIU D. National Science Museum THAILAND[J]. Quanqiu Keji Jingji Liaowang， 2000（10）： 57.

[4]YANG X P. A survey of science and technology museums in Southeast Asia[J]. Science and Technology， 2003（1）： 24-26.

摘 要：泰國国家科技馆是一个“多馆合一”的博物馆集群，现拥有科学技术馆、自然历史博物馆、信息技术馆以及科学广场，未来还计划建造探索与创新馆、环境生态馆。其始终致力于提升公众的科学素养，通过丰富多彩的教育活动，如科学实验、科学秀等，将复杂的科学知识变得生动有趣。

关键词：泰国国家科技馆 博物馆群 陈列展示 教育活动