The Program for the 2027 Conference

Exhibiting Hope – Interactive Exhibitions as Spaces of Empathy, Self-Efficacy and Action

People around the world are increasingly experiencing difficult emotional responses to environmental and planetary crises: climate anxiety, eco-grief, feelings of powerlessness, and a growing disconnection from the natural world.

At the same time, science education and science communication—in museums, science centers, classrooms, and public learning spaces—play an essential role in communicating scientific knowledge, visualizing complex issues, and making research accessible to broad audiences. Yet, while these are vital foundations, knowledge alone rarely leads to action. Information alone does not necessarily create agency, resilience, or collective responsibility. If humans have become a planetary force, science education must address the ethical and social dimensions of living on a damaged planet. This requires connecting scientific understanding with values, empathy, and a sense of shared responsibility and agency.

Inter.Aktion 2027 invites museum professionals, science communicators, educators, researchers, designers, and cultural practitioners to explore this shift in practice. How can museums move beyond awareness to foster participation, transformative experiences, and shared agency? How do we cultivate hope and inspire action while avoiding feelings of helplessness or alienation? Through talks, discussions, workshops, and practical examples, Inter.Aktion 2027 creates a space for reflection, experimentation, and exchange. We invite participants not only to present ideas, but to debate, challenge, and collectively rethink the future role of science education in times of planetary crisis.