Emotions are central components of the learning process and are at the heart of (formal and informal) education and communication. Emotions shape cognition, memory, motivation, interest, engagement, attitudes, and decision-making in relation to science. In 2021, The Network of European Museum Organisations (NEMO) launched a publication highlighting the importance of emotions in the learning processes of museums. Yet, how to think about, research, and leverage emotions in museum experiences remains under-theorised and studied. In this session, we combine contributions from three different parts of the world (Brazil, Denmark and Italy) to highlight methodological issues in studying and putting into practice emotion in science communication, to share outcomes and examples from different contexts, and to discuss the benefits of this approach. The main question under focus will be: what are the essential ingredients to understanding and working with emotions in museums?