Research shows e.g. that science centre exhibitions enhance the motivation of school children. Museum visits are often memorable events that may be recalled even after decades, as interview studies show. Science centre professionals bear witness to even intensive learning experiences among visitors during exhibition visits, as evident from interaction with these visitors. Research shows that learning at different levels occurs in science centres, albeit the learning in an informal environment is highly personalized and individual. Science centres are mainly visited by families and groups, and a lot of social interaction occurs.
Some researchers even talk about 'family learning' experiences.
The growth in size of the science centre industry, the increasing trends of visitors, and research on informal learning and visitor behaviour in science centres all suggest that science centres perform an important role in science communication, raising public awareness of science and enhancing the motivation of visitors to learn science. Tecnologia, Spain Science carries a lot of prestige in the Third World, to judge by my experience in Argentina and other Latin American countries. Whenever a native scientist obtains the Nobel Prize, he becomes a National celebrity. Even if he has been working abroad for many years. This prestige of science, though, has no correlate social support for scientific research and scientists.