Science centres and science engagement activities as research facilities: blurring the frontiers between knowledge production and knowledge sharing

The future challenges within science communication lie in a 'grey area' where the frontiers between production and sharing of knowledge are blurred. An area in which we can satisfy at the same time and within the same activity the autonomous interests of researchers and those of other stakeholders, including lay publics. Settings are emerging, where we can provide real contribution to scientific research and at the same time facilitate the publics in their process of hacking scientific knowledge to serve autonomously defined and often unpredictable functions. Some are linked to research institutes, others to science centres, others are precisely in between. This editorial explores why these special places are needed, and present some case studies, leading to the need of interpreting science culture centres as research facilities.