The temporary exhibition as a tool for communication and relationship between science and society: the case study of the Darwin-Dohrn Museum in Naples (Italy)

ABSTRACTThe temporary exhibition ‘Sharks of the Mediterranean sea’ features scientific and artistic collections. Priority focus is the knowledge of the biodiversity of the selachians of the Mediterranean sea and the Gulf of Naples (Italy), through a museum itinerary that illustrates their biology, ecology, vulnerability, protection, and scientific research. The aim here is to describe the scientific communication strategies used to inform/educate the public but above all to promote a reflection that stimulates the latter to be a protagonist of a concrete action of care and custody of the selachians through a paradigm shift of the person-sea and person-shark relationship. The result is an exhibition set up in the graphic/photographic, videographic, and scenographic/museographic aspects, focusing on the visitor’s experience, his or her psychology, emotional and aesthetic relationships with the museum spaces as well as the solicitations of curiosity triggered by the interaction with the collections.KEYWORDS: SharksMediterranean Seaexhibitionscientific communicationmuseum AcknowledgementsI thank Prof. Ferdinando Boero, Prof. Roberto Danovaro and Dr. Claudia Gili for reviewing the scientific content of the exhibition, colleagues Dr. Elisa Cenci, Dr. Marco Signore, Dr. Andrea Travaglini, Dr. Maria Cristina Vigo Majello for collaboration on scientific design, text writing, and exhibit design, Dr. Ester Vollono for graphic design, Dr. Anna Maria Miglietta and the Museum of Marine Biology ‘Pietro Parenzan’ for the loan of the skin of Cetorhinus maximus, the underwater photographers and video-operators Rocco Cannella, Riccardo Cingillo, Emilio Mancuso, Alessandro Pagano, Domenico Roscigno, Chiara Soldati and Marco Spinelli for underwater images and filming, the scientific illustrators Marc Dando and Alberto Gennari, the Dohrn Foundation and finally dr. Massimiliano Bottaro for the contribution of Project Elife (Elasmobranchs Low-impact Fishing Experience) LIFE18 NAT/IT/000846.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.Additional informationNotes on contributorsThalassia GiacconeThalassia Giaccone is a technologist at the Marine Animal Conservation and Public Engagement Department in Naples (Zoological Station Anton Dohrn, Darwin-Dohrn Museum). She received the Ph.D. degree in Environmental Sciences: Marine Environment and Resources at the University of Messina. She works on scientific communication, exhibition, and museum activities but also on marine bioconstructions with calcareous algae and free-living calcareous algae of the photic and mesophotic zone.