Entrenched compartmentalisation of subjects in secondary school means that students lack opportunities for learning how disciplines relate to each other and how knowledge can be applied in real-world contexts. This article examines what it means to 'think like a scientist in a multidisciplinary arena' and why this is (and should be) an integral part of secondary school science education. To this end, the article outlines a workshop, 'Renoir's painting', for key stages 3 and 4 (ages 11-16), which aims to develop students' understanding of the power and limitations of science and how science relates to other disciplines.