Many people think that science is not for people like them: they are not the ‘right’ gender, they do not have the ‘right’ background, or they are perhaps not ‘good enough’ students. In this session, we will highlight why thinking about identities is important in understanding the needs and behaviours of visitors young and old. By sharing a range of international examples and research findings, we will draw attention to the potential of science museums and science centres to help people embrace broader ideas about who science is for. We look forward to engaging the audience in thinking about their views about what it means to be a ‘science person’ and how this might be reflected in their own practice.