THE BOARD TRUSTEES OF THE SCIENCE MUSEUM

Their core work

The Science Museum Group operates the UK's largest collection of science museums, including the iconic Science Museum in London. In H2020 projects, they serve as a major public engagement and informal science learning partner — designing exhibitions, hands-on activities, science cafés, and creative coding workshops that translate complex research into accessible experiences for diverse audiences. Their role in consortia is typically to bridge the gap between researchers and the public, ensuring EU-funded science reaches citizens through museum programmes and interactive formats.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their early H2020 involvement (2015-2017) centred on broad science-society dialogue — pan-European exhibitions, science cafés, open science, and public understanding of health innovation and frugal technology (SPARKS, HoNESt). From 2018 onward, the focus sharpened toward hands-on digital creativity and STEM skills — coding, making, play, and games as learning tools (CoM_n_Play-Science). Their third-party roles in DyViTo and POLKA suggest growing demand for their public engagement infrastructure from research consortia in diverse fields.

Moving from passive exhibition-based engagement toward active, participatory formats — coding workshops, maker spaces, and gamified learning — reflecting broader trends in museum-based education.

How they like to work

The Science Museum Group never coordinates H2020 projects but is a sought-after participant and third-party partner, valued for its public engagement reach rather than research leadership. With 92 unique partners across 34 countries from just 5 projects, they operate in very large consortia and do not repeat partnerships — consistent with their role as a pan-European dissemination node. Working with them means gaining access to one of Europe's most visited science museum networks for public-facing impact.

Remarkably broad network for a 5-project portfolio: 92 unique partners across 34 countries, reflecting their participation in large pan-European consortia. No evident geographic concentration — truly continent-wide reach.

What sets them apart

Few organisations can match the Science Museum Group's combination of institutional prestige, massive visitor footfall (over 5 million annual visitors across their museums), and hands-on experience designing public engagement for EU research projects. For any consortium that needs to demonstrate societal impact or public outreach — increasingly important in Horizon Europe — they are a credible, high-profile partner. Their shift toward digital making and coding also positions them well for projects needing creative STEM engagement with young audiences.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SPARKS
  Largest project by funding (EUR 669,084), delivering pan-European exhibitions and science cafés across multiple countries on health innovation and frugal science.
• CoM_n_Play-Science
  Represents the museum's strategic shift toward coding, making, and play-based informal science learning — a growing area in STEM education policy.
• HoNESt
  Unusual topic for a science museum — studying the historical relationship between nuclear energy and society, showing the museum's capacity for socially sensitive science communication.