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Your challenge is to have the following type of public institution be as commonplace in the Western World and other developed countries as libraries are in OTL:

The name of the institution would be "Public Laboratory", or "People's Laboratory" in socialist states.

These would be research institutes in which the layman could do experiments concerning the natural sciences. They would have access to laboratory equipment, various chemicals, electronic devices and invertebrate research subjects. There would also be a library section with textbooks of science.

In social-democratic or socialist states, the usage of these laboratories could be free with a Students' ID or below a certain age.

For example you could go up to a counter, buy/ask for some sulfuric acid, an electromagnet, and a jar of fruit flies, then you could enter a laboratory and do experiments.

Exiting these places would be through an airport-style security check, so you couldn't sneak hazardous and controlled substances out, but in the lab you would be free to try making heroin, meth or high explosives.

Legal substances could be taken out freely, so the place could double as a kind of state-owned Radio Shack or farmer's store.
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