Science Circus

Science circuses are interactive, usually traveling, exhibitions that present science-themed shows or displays to audiences in an entertaining, theatrical manner. They are a method of communication used to convey the wonders of science and technology and promote the process of scientific discovery.

Science circuses range from individual presenters focusing on a particular theme, such as Rhys Thomas's physics-focused juggling circus, to a combination of interactive exhibits and shows that present diverse science and technology themes.

General Motors promoted a traveling science circus in 1941, which focused on scientific advancements and included part of its famed Futurama exhibit, introduced in 1939 at the New York World's Fair. It included a big tent and sideshows that were transported using more than 20 vehicles and was referred to as a “Parade of Progress.” The chairman of General Motors said the circus aimed to raise awareness of the importance of research and promote increased funding for the development of new technologies.

For teachers, authors Elena O'Connell and Janice Koch have described a science circus as a series of stations with which visitors interact, with the intention of supporting students' exploratory discovery and learning. The title “science circus” is also sometimes used for short festivals, such as those that have been held at high schools and colleges in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Circuses have also been used as the focus of science center exhibitions, using people's fascination with magical feats to stimulate interest in the science behind them. The Ontario Science Centre rents a large circus-themed exhibition to other museums and science centers in North America.

Today, the Shell Questacon Science Circus is among the most recognized within the discipline of [Page 695]science communication internationally. It is a typical circus in that it is run by a troupe of traveling performers. It is associated with Australian National University (ANU) and trains science graduates as presenters each year. Presenters receive a postgraduate qualification in science communication, through combining circus performances with theoretical work at ANU.

Australia's first, it began in 1985 in an old furniture van in Canberra. The vision for the traveling circus came from Michael Gore, who also founded the associated Australian National Science and Technology Centre, known as Questacon. His goal was to share the center's successful science shows with Australians living in regional areas. After well-received tours around the Australian Capital Territory region, the circus gained sponsorship from Shell in 1988, establishing a consistent presence. It has visited more than 300 locations around Australia and engages around 100,000 people a year.

A benefit of traveling circuses over stationary science shows or festivals is the potential for engaging hard-to-reach audiences. The Shell Questacon Science Circus visits rural indigenous Australian communities, for which presenters receive cross-cultural training.

In Science Communication in Theory and Practice (2002), Chris Bryant argued that the impact of the Shell Questacon Science Circus was seen in audiences' attitudinal changes, rather than increased knowledge. He proposed that using the term circus frames scientific experiments and exhibits in the audience's mind as tricks. He suggested the appeal of the science circus is in audiences' feelings of wonder resulting from these tricks, which are emphasized as accessible science rather than magic.

...