For scientists who want to combine public outreach with research, a museum may be the perfect place to work, writes Ricki Lewis in Nature this week in a special report on science career issues and alternative jobs for scientists (Nature 451, 218-219; 2008). "Scientists who work in museums enjoy a dynamic mix of laboratory and field research, collection managing, outreach and education, and exhibition design. The primary advantage is research flexibility, says Kathlyn Stewart, a research scientist in palaeobiology at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa. “My work focus is a research programme of my design using museum collections,” she says, contrasting this with universities, where teaching and advising students is the focus, or industry or government, where scientists may have little say in their research focus."

"Whether helping to start a new museum or just designing an innovative exhibition, museum work is most valued by those scientists hoping to make an impact with the public. “When I work on an exhibition, I realize that maybe a million visitors a year will see it,” says John Flynn of the American Museum of Natural History. “That’s an incredible opportunity.” "