Movement in museums: mediating between museum intent and visitor experience

Abstract

Taking as its starting point the idea that the organisation of movement is a concept inherent in museum design, this paper aims to study the relation between observable patterns of visitor movement and museum intent, as expressed in the architectural layout of spaces and the curatorial arrangement of objects. Against the background of overviews of historical concepts and approaches to movement, five case studies of museums with different intent are presented. It is shown that the ways these museums structure movement paths are critical to how exhibits are perceived by visitors through spatial and visual relations and affect the experience of the museum as a public space by shaping visitors' physical copresence and visual coawareness. These differences relate closely to current debates on museum and exhibition design, while their deeper understanding can provide architects and curators with a more informed basis on which to assess the likely consequences of design decisions.