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Shandong’s Science Outreach Boom Comes with “Three Ledgers”

Source：Haibao News 11-05-2026 10:00:00

Shandong is weaving a denser urban-rural science outreach network, turning science popularization into a “curiosity economy” that delivers both social and economic returns — and it is keeping three sets of ledgers: traffic, industry and the long term. The first is the traffic ledger. Bailuwan Spark Science and Technology Museum receives 260,000 visits a year, driving growth in study tours, food and lodging in the town. That creates a loop in which science outreach draws traffic and revenue feeds back into it. The “science outreach plus cultural tourism and study tours” model is being replicated in many places, while venues such as the Shandong Science & Technology Museum keep drawing crowds. The second is the industry ledger. Rizhao-based DEEPBLUE has adopted a “museum in front, factory in back” model, with its science exhibits exported to more than 60 countries. Museum-school cooperation and procurement of science equipment are also driving industrial chains including venue construction, course development and exhibit manufacturing. The third is the long-term ledger, which focuses on raising scientific literacy. In 2025, 17.2% of Shandong residents had scientific literacy. Building on that, the province is deepening museum-school cooperation, sending science caravans to rural areas and cultivating science and innovation talent. It is also pushing science outreach to support grassroots governance, building human capital for regional innovation.