Public Attitudes to Science survey 2025: insights for the informal science engagement sector

Over the last 25 years, the Public Attitudes to Science (PAS) survey has provided data on what people think about science, scientists and science policy, and how informed and engaged they feel when it comes to science issues.

The results published today (Tuesday 20th January 2026), sponsored by UKRI and delivered by IPSOS and the British Science Association, are the first since before the Covid-19 pandemic.

ASDC has taken a dip into the background data tables to share some sector specific insights below.

Our key take homes

1. Trust is a noticeable theme in PAS 2025 and it is under challenge. The role of more independent and community based sources of science information (like science museums and discovery centres) are more more important than ever.
2. At a time of accelerating technological change, broad and inclusive public engagement, dialogue and representation across the UK is more vital than ever.
3. Education and engagement initiatives that raise the relevance and benefits of science to everyday life and increase the transparency about how science is conducted and funded are essential.

A Focus on Trust

Headlined in PAS 2025 is that trust in scientists, researchers and engineers is framed by the institutions they work for:

• Trust in scientists (‘a great deal’ or ‘a fair amount’) is considerable when they work in universities (87%) for charitable organisations (84%) or for environmental groups (77%).
• There is a decline in trust in scientists working for the government (down from 76% in 2019 to 69% in 2025).
• There is a decline in trust in scientists working for private companies (down from 57% in 2019 to 48% in 2025).
• Only 25% agreed that government ministers regularly use science to inform decision-making.
• The number of people saying that the information they heard about science was “generally true” has declined (from 50% in 2019 to 40% in 2025).

So what about people who seek to get their information from spaces and experiences our network provides?

PAS 2025 asked: “Over the last 2 weeks, did you actively seek out any science-related information from any of the following?" (this excluded anything related to job or studies):

• 6% of the UK population seek out information at a museum, gallery or convention
• 6% via in-person or online workshops or presentations
• 4% from a scientist or science communicator

For those who recalled where they actively last sought science information, PAS 2025 asked: “How much, if at all, would you say you trusted the information?”

Caution is advised when interpreting the data below. Please quote that for "verbally or in person from a scientist or science communicator" this has a lower sample size of n = 34*.

• 46% (the highest percentage) stated they trusted the information “a great deal” when it came from a “science source” This is a higher percentage than when receiving information from traditional media (29%), new media (21%) or friends, family or colleagues (25%).
• The UK population trust their science information “a great deal” when it came 'in-person from a museum, gallery or convention' (50%) or when it came 'verbally or in person from a scientist or science communicator'* (65%).

PAS also investigated sources such as TV and radio programmes, magazines/print, scientific journals, specialist websites, blogs, podcasts or social media. Books (37%), radio programmes or specialist science websites/blogs (41%) and scientific journals (49%) also received higher levels of trust in the information provided.

PAS 2025 also investigated whether people found the information useful, easy to understand, interesting, easy to find and whether that information led to greater science engagement (e.g. sharing information or looking for more information). We intend to look further at this information over the coming weeks to provide some more in-depth analysis for the sector.

Cultural engagement with science (visitors to our spaces)

In terms of visiting public, the cultural engagement with science still remains strong and comparable with 2019 data. In the last 12 months:

• 33% of the population visited a science museum
• 24% visited a science and discovery centre (statistically significant increase from 2019 data of 19%)
• 13% visited a planetarium
• 42% visited zoos or aquaria
• 17% visited a science-related talk or lecture outside of school, college or work
• 7% visited a science festival

Fascinating insights on the demographics of visitors to these informal science engagement spaces can be found in the report's data tables (T433 onward) including gender, age, ethnicity, country & region, qualifications, geography, income comfort, children in household, religion and correlation with the PAS 2025 Science Capital Index.

PAS 2025 states that although 84% agreed that young people’s interest in science is essential for our future prosperity (just 4% disagreed with this sentiment), nearly a third of young people aged 16 to 24 (32%) are more likely than average to agree that school put them off science, compared with 23% of all adults. For young people who may be disengaging with science, our network of informal science education and engagement organisations provide new and alternative opportunities to re-ignite curiosity and re-grow STEM identity.

National networks of museums, discovery centres, and science communicators have nurtured and earned strong public trust. (Not in PAS 2025, but to note international research (e.g. US, 2021 and Germany, 2024) showing museums enjoy the highest level of trust in the personal and institutional environment – exceeding scientists and the media.)
As trusted, place-based connectors between science, research, innovation, and the public - and as engines for STEM engagement and inclusion, science and discovery centres and museums are a unique national asset well positioned to help address many of the challenges outlined in PAS 2025.

Read the Public Attitudes to Science 2025 survey