VISITOR SATISFACTION WITH MUSEUM MANAGEMENT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A CASE STUDY OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MALAYSIA

Abstract

During the 2019 global pandemic, widespread museum closures ensued, exacerbated by Malaysia's heightened distancing measures in response to emerging Covid Omicron variants. This research addresses the scarcity of studies on visitor perception during COVID-19, explicitly focusing on evaluating satisfaction by scrutinising visitation patterns, visitor satisfaction, and initiatives by the National Museum Malaysia. Employing mixed methods, a quantitative survey involving 260 museum visitors was conducted using random sampling and analysed using SPSS. The study also incorporated qualitative interviews with two museum personnel to complement the quantitative aspect, and these were thematically analysed. The findings reveal a decline in physical visits, and noteworthy efforts by management in online engagement and collaborations with broadcasters were observed. While overall satisfaction prevails, there is room for improvement in communicating online activities. The data indicates a readiness for a virtual museum in the future.