Founded in 1953, MUST is the largest science museum in Italy and it brings together in one institution a collection-based museum and an interactive science centre.
The collection counts more than 15.000 historical objects, mostly displayed in permanent exhibitions, organised in five grand themes: Communication, Materials, Energy, Transport, Leonardo da Vinci.
In addition, MUST has 13 educational “Interactive Labs”, dedicated to topics such as energy, biotechnologies, genetics, chemistry, nutrition, etc., where visitors can experiment science and technology directly through hands-on activities.
In 2009, the Education Department of MUST also launched CREI, the Centre for Research in Informal Education, which carries out methodological research aiming to identify and integrate innovative learning methods into MUST’s work, in order to promote STEM learning and visitors’ meaningful experience. Every year MUST welcomes more than 400.000 visitors.
Maria Xanthoudaki - Director of Education
Maria Xanthoudaki holds a BA in Education, an MA in Art Education, and a PhD in Museum Education. Her career focuses on education, beginning in art museums and then shifting to science museums. Her expertise is on methodologies for informal learning, pedagogical research, and training. In the past 20 years, she has been involved in several European and International education projects as coordinator or expert.
Linkedin: Maria Xanthoudaki
Sara Calcagnini - Head of Public Engagement
Sara Calcagnini has a degree in Conservation of Cultural Heritage at the University of Pisa. She is specialized in strategies of active involvement of citizens and stakeholders on scientific issues. Specifically, she works on the development of European and national educational programs of dialogue between experts and different audiences (families, adults, students, and teachers), science communication trainings for researchers, educators and teachers, and educational research on Public Engagement.
Linkedin: Sara Calcagnini
Fabrizio Stavola - Education Curator
Fabrizio Stavola is responsible for the interactive laboratories “Energy&Environment” and “Future Inventors” at the Museum. He takes care of the planning and realization of educational activities and training courses for teachers and researchers. He has a degree in Astronomy from the Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, and a Master in Applied Optics at the University of Padova.
Linkedin: Fabrizio Stavola
Sophia Grew - Education Curator
Sophia Grew studied environmental and evolutionary biology and then majored in science communication at SISSA in Trieste. At the Museum she is involved in informal education, mainly managing the laboratories in the biological area. She occasionally writes about environmental issues and climate crisis.
Linkedin: Sophia Grew