Museums play an important role in the transmission of culture and traditions and provide a collective memory of a community. A number of museum related institutions, known as the Science Centra, have arisen to offer self-directed learning activities in problem solving and understanding the processes related to everyday life. In a modern society, it also necessary to learn to analyze critically information that the media provide. Museums and the Science Centra can be useful in this context as well and can offer students the opportunity to employ the media as learning tools. In recent years the "ecomuseum" also has arisen. An ecomuseum works to document the local heritage, to stimulate popular interest in that heritage, and to collect documentation of history. The ecomuseum model also provides a means of preserving indigenous languages and promoting their use and instruction. Cooperation among the various kinds of museums could help revitalize the cultural life of a community. At the same time, the cultural organizations can serve as catalysts of cooperation between schools and the broader community. This in turn can foster the view that cultural development is impossible without striking a balance between the natural environment and technical development and exploitation. (SG)