Museum as active aging place for elderly volunteer interpreters:from the perspective of Chinese ‘Family’ and ‘State’

Abstract

ABSTRACT As global populations age, examining how museums can promote active aging holds practical significance. In China, an increasing number of elderly individuals are entering museums as volunteer interpreters. As they serve the museum, this engagement profoundly impacts their active aging. This paper, based on participant observation and in-depth interviews, analyzes the motivations, behaviors, and impacts of 20 elderly volunteer museum interpreters in China. The study reveals that the dialectical relationship between the individual and the ‘family’ and ‘state’ in Chinese traditional culture serves as an intrinsic motivation for the active aging of elderly volunteer interpreters. It also identifies this relationship as an outcome of the active aging they pursue. Chinese museums have contextual specialties in addressing the issue of aging. The study illustrates the value of museums in challenging the perspective of ageism and underscores the importance of cultural context for understanding elderly people’s active aging.