Punjab Students’ Perceptions of Science Topics: Challenging Outcomes from a Front-End Study

This article discusses a study that examined the perceptions of students of Punjab, India regarding their interest in, perceived knowledge of, and perceived importance of various science topics. The study was conducted to help inform the development of exhibitions and education programs for the new "Pushpa Gural Science City." The study demonstrates that the outcomes of front-end studies are not always clear-cut, and that museums still must ultimately struggle with their own philosophies about the curriculum they display and interpret in the light of the outcomes of front-end studies they commission.