Museums and science centers are increasingly becoming places to engage with current technical and social issues. The aim is to encourage visitors to form their own opinions on the topics discussed through hands-on experience and experimentation.
Science communication is not to be understood as a one-sided transfer of information but as a playful and interactive exchange between the visitors and the exhibition elements. While innovative technologies open new possibilities for immersive interactions, physical elements contribute to haptic experiences, yet these two media often remain spatially separated.
In the search for a seamless integration of digital and analogue media and their added value for knowledge transfer, the following question arose: Is an installation in the form of a microscope suitable as a metaphor for science communication of photosynthesis?
To answer this question, the Tangible Science Framework was used as a design process to make complex scientific topics understandable and accessible. Literature research on pedagogical concepts for interactive exhibition elements as well as expert interviews served as a basis. A prototype was developed and tested in a museum. The focus was not on evaluating the prototype but on investigating the interplay between digital and analogue media.
