A first attempt to analyse, by way of a field study, the expectations people have when visiting museums, and particularly with what benefits they go out afterwards in terms of learning, of stimulus to visit other museums or inform themselves through other sources and of changed attitudes towards science, art and history. Contributions by Massimiano Bucchi and Federico Neresini.The field study was conducted by Observa in partnership with prof. Renato Mazzolini and the Departiment of Human and Social Sciences, University of Trento (2000-2002).