In the South Kensington location, the engagement was the following:
• 227 researchers and experts participated on the night, delivering science stations, science bars and cafes, interactive talks and interviews, storytelling shows, tours and hands on activities.
• 29 institutions and organisations collaborated in the event, with representation of their researchers (including Imperial College London, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the Earlham Institute and the Eden Project) or providing extra activities on the evening (Vetenskap & Allmänhet and FameLab).
• More than 30,000 interactions with researchers.
• 3100 visitors were welcomed on the night, and 85 students took part in activities on the run up to the main event, in collaboration with Imperial College researchers.
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Partner museums:
• 300 visitors attended the event at Manchester Museum.
• 185 visitors attended the event at Great North Museum: Hancock.
• 1093 visitors attended the event at Potteries Museum.
• 98 visitors attended the event at Wollaton Hall.
• 144 visitors attended the event at Peterborough Museum.
The event was well received across all sites. 98% of visitors surveyed across all the sites felt that their experience of ERN was excellent (70%) of good (29%).
From feedback gathered at the Natural History Museum South Kensington, visitors praised the overall event and expressed their wishes for more events like it. Visitors also praised specific scientists and the Learning Engagement Volunteers.
Overall across both events:
Main conclusions:
o Overall positive feedback about the event (interest, activities, contacts with researchers, schedule, venues, concrete organisation)
o Increased awareness of the key role of researchers and the benefits research brings to society
o Increased interest for science
o Gain of science knowledge;
o Social importance of the events (meeting friends and family, enjoying a drink…to be used for future marketing of events;
o Main outcomes delivered: Meeting and talking with enthusiastic and passionate scientists, and unusual access to authentic specimens from our collections
o Most impactful activities: tours and talks, science stations, story telling
Lessons learned:
Having a theme that covers most of the scientific fields that NHM research groups focus on really boosted scientists’ participation. The theme is not relevant for the public, who attend the event as a special time to visit the Museum. Some partner museums found it difficult to recruit scientists to participate on the night, and NHM scientists were reticent to travel on the evening of the event. There was a very positive level of collaboration with external organisations, including London universities.
