Korea’s national science museums have followed science-center approach, emphasizing hands-on experience rather than collections-based exhibitions. In recent years, however, three science museums have opened standing exhibitions focusing on the pre-modern history of science in Korea, raising important questions about how to shape historical narratives in science museums. Based on the experience of the remodeling of the Korean History of Science and Technology Hall at the National Science Museum of Korea in 2024, this presentation will discuss two key dilemmas. The first dilemma is what to prioritize: science or its historical context. Focusing on the structural uniquenss or technological novelty of individual artifacts could results in overlooking of the people—scientists, inventors, and users—and the social contexts. The second dilemma concerns historical evaluation. Comparison with Western and modern counterparts, often used for intuitive understanding, demands a careful approach to avoid the risk of falling into a nationalistic narrative or undervaluing historical impact. This presentation will highlight the challenges in presenting the history of science as a public history, especially in the East Asian context.

East Asian science museums face distinct challenges in acquiring authentic historical artifacts. To address this limitation, museums rely on precision replicas and reproductions. While original artifacts remain invaluable, carefully reconstructed models serve as effective educational and exhibition tools. By reconstructing early or lost scientific instruments through scholarly research and archaeological evidence, we gain fresh perspectives on historical methods. These reconstructions enable both demonstrations and hands-on visitor experiences. The reproductions can also be adapted to maximize educational impact while meeting exhibition needs. As a case study, this paper focus on the reconstruction of Su Song's Water-driven Clock Tower model. Constructed in 1086 during the Northern Song Dynasty, this significant astronomical instrument was later dismantled in the war. Since the 1950s, researchers from Britain, Japan, and China have contributed to various reconstruction initiatives. The forthcoming full-scale model, planned for installation at the Tsinghua Science Museum, exemplifies innovative design methodology. The reconstruction maintains the instrument's original functionalities and perpetual timekeeping capabilities while incorporating sophisticated educational features to enhance visitor understanding. Our goal is for this instrument to serve as a comprehensive learning platform—facilitating understanding of ancient Chinese advancements in astronomy, mechanical engineering, architectural design, and governmental systems—while developing visitors' skills in analyzing and appreciating complex scientific and technological artifacts.

The information environment surrounding museums has been undergoing significant transformations in recent years. With the widespread implementation of WiFi networks in many museums and the prevalence of visitors carrying smartphones, it is now possible for most visitors to experience museum exhibits while remaining continuously connected to a network. This new information infrastructure allows museums to offer a wide range of data—multilingual content, audio, video, and 3D models—to visitors at minimal cost. Furthermore, by guiding visitors to external websites or books, museums can provide perspectives and depth that cannot be achieved within the confines of limited physical display space.

What new possibilities does this evolving information infrastructure bring to presenting historical scientific materials? This presentation will explore these opportunities through specific case studies and practical examples, particularly those of early modern Japanese science. These subjects are covered at both the National Museum of Nature and Science and the National Museum of Japanese History but are presented in different contexts. While historical explanations are more expected in history museums than in science museums, some visitors may request more scientific information, and vice versa. The digital infrastructure may be a solution to this diversity problem by providing gradational knowledge. In addition, early modern Japanese texts are hard to read even for Japanese natives, and web applications using crowdsourcing or AI will be helpful for domestic and foreign visitors’ understanding of objects on display. The authors will discuss these possibilities based on their experience in digital humanities and museum practice.

A/Prof Nobumichi Ariga