In the face of climate change, technological inequity, and expanding skills gaps, science centers and museums need to transcend the exhibition-based models and transform into community integrated venues to dialogue and innovation, as well as lifelong learning. The National Museum of Science and Technology (NMST) in Bangladesh illustrates the potential of national institutions to carry out this broadened role by using the practice of outreach based, inclusive and locally relevant engagement. The paper describes a practice-based framework based on the community-related activities of the museum.

The paper discusses the role of co-creation, maker culture and citizen science in bridging scientific knowledge with real world issues like water management, climate adaptation, agricultural technologies and vocational skills training using case examples of mobile science exhibitions, school and community outreach programmes, hands-on learning activities and so on. Instead of having audiences as passive learners, NMST places emphasis on the shared ownership of knowledge in which communities actively participate in interpreting, experimenting and telling the stories.

In the presentation, there is a focal point of scalable engagement strategies incorporating the low-cost technologies, multilingual and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) so as to expand the accessibility of the youth, families and under-represented groups. It also looks at how collaborations with government agencies, schools and other local organisations facilitate institutional resilience, financial sustainability and shared resource models.

This contribution will provide practical contributions to science centres in the NAMES region by establishing the National Museum of Science & Technology as a credible civic node and enabling them to establish useful relationships with their community, while also keeping a global perspective. The article suggests that an alternative conceptualization of engagement as a more dynamic, participatory process is necessary in order to define the coming 20 years of science engagement and local partnerships.