Effectively Coordinating Museums and Planetariums Worldwide

Informal science educators at museums and planetariums face the challenging task of engaging a diverse public audience in contemporary science. To do this they need a solid background in the science itself, educational pedagogy, and modern practices in science communication. The task has gotten even more challenging in the era of big data. Interpreting and visualizing these datasets in planetarium shows and museum exhibits requires specialized technical skills. Furthermore, the increasing pace of discovery means that informal science educators have less time to accomplish these tasks. This presentation will summarize a variety of museum and planetarium community efforts to address these challenges through worldwide collaboration and coordination among museums and planetariums. Solutions include content sharing and distribution mechanisms as well as networking museums and planetariums together to create global worldwide events.