Final answer:
An item is in public view if it is intentionally exposed to the public, such as a work of art or in legal and social settings where activities or views are openly displayed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The discovery of an item would be considered to be in 'public view' under several circumstances. One context is when a work, be it literary, musical, dramatic, choreographic, or visual, is displayed publicly.
Such works are considered in public view because they have been intentionally exposed to the public eye by the author or rightful owner.
Not limited to works of art, the concept of public view extends into the legal realm, where activities — such as jury verdict announcements or the disclosure of evidence in an adversarial judicial system — must occur openly before the community, implying a public nature of the proceedings.
In social studies, public view could refer to the openly expressed aggregate views of the public or the opinions people hold of one another, which are discernible in community settings.