NEWS
New study suggests public favours science and technology museums
POSTED 19 Jan 2016 . BY Tom Anstey
Public opinion suggests that children prefer to visit science and technology museums, with adults split between that and natural history Credit: Shutterstock.com
Science and technology is the public’s favourite choice of museum to visit, according to a new study.

A survey by sound and lighting experts AVonics suggests that museums covering science and technology are more popular with children over those covering natural history, history, art or war, while the choice is split between that and natural history museums for adults.

According to the 600-person study, 52 per cent of adults surveyed said they thought a child would find science and technology museums the most exciting, while natural history came second with 26 per cent of the vote.

When speaking of their own personal preference, adults were more evenly split, with 25.6 per cent saying they would prefer to visit a science and technology museum and 25.9 per cent opting for a natural history museum.

Museums covering the arts, history and war received significantly fewer votes in both brackets. When asked what children would enjoy the most, those choices garnered less than 10 per cent of the vote combined. A similar result was seen for adults, with under 20 per cent saying they would prefer to visit one of those three options.

RELATED STORIES
  Landmark children's science museum opens in Sofia


Muzeiko – the first children’s museum to be built in post-Soviet Eastern Europe – has opened its doors to the public in Sofia, Bulgaria.
  London's Science Museum seeks architect for redevelopment of Exhibition Road


London’s Science museum has set a November deadline for architects to submit plans for its latest development as part of its ongoing five-year £60m (US$93m, €83m) transformation.
  Architects announced for design of Guangzhou cultural hub


German firm GMP Architekten and Spanish architecture firm Nieto Sobejano have been selected to design Guangzhou Museum and Guangzhou Science Museum respectively as part of the Chinese city’s new cultural hub.
  Private emails suggest Shell tried to influence Science Museum's climate change programme


London’s Science Museum has rejected claims that it allowed oil supplier Shell – a sponsor of the institution – to influence the direction of its climate change programme.
 


CONTACT US

Leisure Media
Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026

ABOUT LEISURE MEDIA
LEISURE MEDIA MAGAZINES
LEISURE MEDIA HANDBOOKS
LEISURE MEDIA WEBSITES
LEISURE MEDIA PRODUCT SEARCH
PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS
FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS
 
Leisure Management - New study suggests public favours science and technology museums...
19 Jun 2026 Leisure Management: daily news and jobs
 
 
HOME
JOBS
NEWS
FEATURES
PRODUCTS
FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION
PRINT SUBSCRIPTION
ADVERTISE
CONTACT US
Sign up for FREE ezine
Latest news

19 Jan 2016

New study suggests public favours science and technology museums
BY Tom Anstey

Public opinion suggests that children prefer to visit science and technology museums, with adults split between that and natural history

Public opinion suggests that children prefer to visit science and technology museums, with adults split between that and natural history
photo: Shutterstock.com

Science and technology is the public’s favourite choice of museum to visit, according to a new study.

A survey by sound and lighting experts AVonics suggests that museums covering science and technology are more popular with children over those covering natural history, history, art or war, while the choice is split between that and natural history museums for adults.

According to the 600-person study, 52 per cent of adults surveyed said they thought a child would find science and technology museums the most exciting, while natural history came second with 26 per cent of the vote.

When speaking of their own personal preference, adults were more evenly split, with 25.6 per cent saying they would prefer to visit a science and technology museum and 25.9 per cent opting for a natural history museum.

Museums covering the arts, history and war received significantly fewer votes in both brackets. When asked what children would enjoy the most, those choices garnered less than 10 per cent of the vote combined. A similar result was seen for adults, with under 20 per cent saying they would prefer to visit one of those three options.




Connect with
Leisure Management
Magazine:
View issue contents
Sign up:
Instant Alerts/zines

Print edition
 

News headlines
London Museum reveals 2026 opening date for new Smithfield home
London Museum reveals 2026 opening date for new Smithfield home   19 Jun 2026

The London Museum’s new site will open in Smithfield, East London, on 28 November 2026. 

....
more>>
McKinsey: 84 per cent of consumers say wellness is a top priority
McKinsey: 84 per cent of consumers say wellness is a top priority   19 Jun 2026

Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this percentage increasing year on year, according to a .... more>>

AI is top of the agenda at Elevate 2026
AI is top of the agenda at Elevate 2026   18 Jun 2026

Elevate Arena is underway at London's Excel and the hot topic of AI was the first point of discussion on the Debate stage.

....
more>>
Protests continue in Albania against US$1.6 billion luxury resort backed by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump
Protests continue in Albania against US$1.6 billion luxury resort backed by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump   18 Jun 2026

Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump .... more>>

PureGym appoints Alex Wood as CEO as Clive Chesser steps down
PureGym appoints Alex Wood as CEO as Clive Chesser steps down   16 Jun 2026

PureGym Group has announced that group chief financial officer, Alex Wood, is taking over the role of CEO, as Clive Chesser steps .... more>>

Ebbsfleet Healthy New Town celebrates the opening of the Weldon Wellbeing Pavilion
Ebbsfleet Healthy New Town celebrates the opening of the Weldon Wellbeing Pavilion   16 Jun 2026

Freedom Leisure and Ebbsfleet Garden City Trust have opened the £13 million Weldon Wellbeing Pavilion – a new community wellbeing and sports .... more>>

Company profile


Les Mills UK

For more than 50 years Les Mills has been leading the way in fitness. We produce 25 group fitness programmes, backed by science, to be experienced in club or at home via Les Mills+.

View full profile>>

Catalogue gallery


Featured Supplier

Cornerstone Connect helps Active Blackpool tackle health inequalities

Cornerstone Connect helps Active Blackpool tackle health inequalities

Active Blackpool is deploying Cornerstone Connect, a new digital interface allowing disparate information from multiple systems to be aggregated into one dataset, to support its focus on reducing health inequalities and improving healthy life expectancy. More>>




in this issue

• Virgin gets right to wipe out rent arrears
• Fitness industry mourns passing of Jan Spaticchia
• STA offers mindfulness resources



Latest jobs

Jobs Search



Recreation Assistant
Salary: Competitive salary
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon
Company: Everyone Active
Duty Manager
Salary: Competitive
Location: Stratford-upon-Avon
Company: Everyone Active
National Event Planning and Logistics Officer
Salary: £30,190 - £32,636pa + matched pension + benefits
Location:
Company: English Heritage
Diary dates
Powered by leisurediary.com

21-23 Jun 2026

Spa Life International (UK)

Midlands (Venue TBA), Liphook, United Kingdom







Published by Leisure Media Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385 | Contact us | About us | © Cybertrek Ltd