This paper discusses the process of elaborating texts to be used in science museums. It is based on data from a PhD thesis that studied the process of transformation of scientific discourse - particularly biological - into expositive discourse in the construction of exhibitions at science museums. Initially, the paper deals with theoretical references on the scientific text, the public communication text and the text presented in museum exhibitions. Examples of texts taken from five exhibitions were presented, based on data obtained through qualitative analysis. Aspects such as form, structure, editing and language were analyzed, aiming at showing the differences among the three kinds of text mentioned above. Also, these aspects were used to characterize the recontextualization process that occurs when the expositive discourse is produced. In conclusion, one can say that the texts from science museums are different from scientific or public communication texts, despite their having common elements. It is necessary to understand the specificities of the museum culture and of the visiting public, in order to improve the production of science museum texts. Further research on evaluation of science museum texts is desirable if more and better reading of them is to be stimulated.
science musems; scientific texts; public communication texts; texts from museums