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Short Abstract

The Natural History Museum’s Nature Overheard citizen science project was upscaled to engage diverse communities via a tiered participation model, from one-click online activities to fieldwork. We present what we learned from upscaling with delivery approaches from school loan boxes to partnerships.

Abstract

Natural history museums (NHMs) are uniquely positioned to upscale community and citizen science projects to engage participants from diverse backgrounds, across a wide range of urban and rural regions, in science and the natural world. Collaboration between research and education departments within NHMs, as well as with external organisations, can enhance outcomes for science, participants and the environment. However, meaningfully engaging large numbers of people is set against a desire to embed greater degrees of collaboration in the project lifecycle.

We present Nature Overheard, a project NHM London co-developed with students aged 11-12 years. We aimed to involve large numbers of people a) in determining the research focus of the project, b) at multiple stages of the research process, c) at a depth of engagement that matched their time/interest. To achieve this, NHM London adopted a tiered framework of participation, comprising multiple entry points, from entry-level activities, to carrying out a biological field survey and audio recording. To increase the audience’s size and diversity, and the project’s geographical reach, different delivery models were implemented, from loan boxes to schools, to work placements and external partnerships.

This presentation will share what strategies worked best for achieving local impact and relevance whilst up against large participation targets across the regions. It illustrates trade-offs between and depth of participant engagement, as well as control over the project’s scientific focus. We will reflect on the effectiveness of the different engagement strategies to inform how future efforts can upscale projects grounded in local interests.