A realisation is growing among science museum practitioners and researchers that quick fixes or one-off initiatives cannot accomplish engaging a broader diversity of publics in museum activities. Rather, exclusion mechanisms in science museums often are subtle, are ingrained institutionally, and may be beyond the reach of individual staff members, requiring concerted efforts on multiple levels to counteract them. Here, we analyse the current situation with particular focus on gender and science exhibitions. We show how museums can locate gendered and gendering mechanisms that co-determine science museum exhibition design and experience in a hierarchy of levels, ranging from the level of humanity all the way to the individual museum visitor. We give examples of how these mechanisms may interact to produce gender exclusion. We conclude by discussing implications of the framework for research and practice on gender inclusion in science museums and offering suggestions for ways to move forward.