CTSA education in non-formal spaces: the potential of the Microbiology Museum of the Butantan Institute

Abstract

The integration of scientific education with socioscientific issues contributes to citizens’ ability to understand the interdisciplinary perspectives existing in science and technology, as well as their impacts on society. In this article, we seek to analyze the potentialities of the Microbiology Museum of the Butantan Institute (São Paulo, Brazil) for scientific education from the CTSA perspective and controversial socioscientific issues. The museum in question offers a variety of exhibition scenarios and educational activities that explore the scientific-technological axis, addressing science from a cultural perspective, with CTSA attributes and serving as a learning site for both visitors and mediators, enabling different audiences to reflect on their roles as citizens and on the ethical, social, moral, and environmental implications of scientific discoveries. By promoting scientific literacy and critical thinking, non-formal spaces, as pointed out by the literature, contribute significantly to the formation of citizens engaged in decision-making.