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What’s your favourite place to play? What position do you sleep in? What do you think of pigeons? The UMU (Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ Museum) shows visitors how science works – and what better way to experience that than by getting involved yourself? As citizen scientists, visitors can help researchers collect data or take part as test subjects. It offers both visitors and scientists a valuable and educational experience. In this way, scientists can reach a diverse audience across different age groups.

Playgrounds, sleep, and pigeons
Check je plek! was the first citizen science project in the renewed museum. Children were asked what makes their favourite outdoor spot so great and what they find important when playing outside or hanging out with friends. They rated their favourite places, providing valuable information for the researchers.

In the following sleep study, families were asked about their sleep habits. They could vote for their favourite sleep music, fill out a questionnaire together about their sleep behaviour, and take home a sleep diary to track their sleep. Not only were the researchers pleased with all the data, but the families also learned a lot about each other’s sleep patterns by discussing them together.

In the project ‘Not wild but unwanted’, visitors helped science by counting city pigeons. For research into human–pigeon coexistence, the researchers needed data from as many neighbourhoods and locations as possible. At the UMU, visitors learned how to distinguish between different pigeon species.

Research studio
The UMU houses a well-equipped, noise-free, soundproof research space suitable for a wide range of studies. Are you working on research that visitors to the UMU – families with children aged 8 to 14 – could contribute to or help collect data for? If so, get in touch with José de Wit (j.a.w.dewit@uu.nl).

Gertie Cuijpers is project leader at the UMU
José de Wit is programme coordinator for family activities at the UMU
Text: Gertie Cuijpers and José de Wit
Photo's: Ivar Pel