Physical models are used to produce and mediate knowledge in an immediately accessible way in and outside museums. Moreover, some museums are exploring creativity-based ‘modelling’ activities as part of the science communication strategy, in which visitors are involved in interactive co-creative processes. Despite widespread use of physical models, however, we know very little about what they actually do: How do physical models function and take on meaning? What are the benefits of modelling activities in terms of learning, social relations, and other cognitive mechanisms. The objective with ”The Power of Modelling” is to produce new knowledge about physical models and modelling activities, and to use this knowledge to develop a new format for co-creative exhibition-making. The project combines interactive experiments based on cognitive science and anthropological/ethnographic data, to invesitigate model dimensions and mechanisms – and to serve as basis for developing the new exhibition format.
The project is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Science Museums at AU & the Interacting Minds Centre, The National Museum, Moesgaard Museum, Royal Danish Academy, and IT University of Copenhagen. It is generously funded by the Velux Foundation.
PI is Prof Morten Nielsen, The National Museum (NM), and the the team consists of two tracks:
Track 1 | Track 2 |
Morten Nielsen, The National Museum (NM) | Karsten Olsen, Science Museums and the IMC (AU) |
Team for collaboration with VidenSkaber https://www.videnskaber.dk/ |
| Karsten Olsen, IMC Researcher Halfdan Fundal, Student at Cognitive Science (AU) Regitze Hammer Holt, Student at Cognitive Science (AU) Johannes Ramboell, Student at Cognitive Science (AU) Sári Fernezelyi, Student at Cognitive Science (AU) Lukas Kubiena, Student at Cognitive Science (AU) |
In addition to our regular internal cross-disciplinary workshops, and ethnographic work in Track 1, here are some of our current activities:
