Based on the analysis of culture, science & technology, economy, and political backgrounds of different historical periods, the author puts forward that the development of the museums' educational function has been deeply influenced by the industry development, science & technology motivation, the demand for the public scientific literacy of the society, the social system and the environment, and the development of the theory of the science communication and science educationideas. As the evolution of biological species to adapt to the environmental changes, we can find the similar evolution process occurs on the science and technology museums. So, the author tries to prove that the decisive factor of the development motivation for the science and technology museums is the demand for the education as the development of the productive forces and the science & technology.

science and technology museums  /  educational function  /  development motivation