Sense–Science–Significance Model: A Museum Education Framework for Engaging Visitors with Cultural Heritage

Museums provide opportunities for connecting personal perception with cultural and ecological understanding. This study examines how museum-based learning can foster engagement in conserving Japan’s native Kiso Horse. Using the complete skeletal specimen of the last purebred Kiso Horse at Nagoya University Museum, we investigated how exhibitions and interactive programs shape visitor awareness. Survey results showed that while the Kiso Horse is widely recognized as cultural heritage, it is often perceived as part of an “extraordinary” world, limiting personal connection. To address this, we developed the Sense–Science–Significance (S-S-S) model, an educational framework focusing on the horse’s body parts as well as the history and environment surrounding it, integrating sensory interaction, scientific interpretation, and reflection on value. By linking direct experience with reasoning and cultural meaning, the model fosters inquiry, enhances conservation literacy, and encourages visitors to recognize their role in sustaining heritage. Engagement with the Kiso Horse illustrates the interconnectedness of history, culture, and environment, underscoring the broader relevance of regional heritage. Drawing on this case and related educational practices, the S-S-S model is proposed as one possible framework for museum education.