Museum Services Research Articles

The ‘death’ and ‘rebirth’ of museums in colonial Hong Kong: three decades of community endeavours to restore reputation and culture, 1933–1962

ABSTRACT For nearly three decades, from 1933 to 1962, Hong Kong was deprived of a proper museum. This article explores the prolonged absence of public museum services in the colony and their arduous restoration. It investigates the reasons behind this extended hiatus and scrutinises the efforts made by the Hong Kong colonial government and the local community to reintroduce public museum services. The article argues that the resurgence of museums in Hong Kong was primarily propelled by community initiatives. While the colonial administration displayed indifference towards museum provision, Hong Kong's civil society considered it essential for enhancing the colony's reputation and cultural landscape. Through a public campaign for cultural democratisation, they compelled the government to establish a new museum. Their lobbying and preparatory efforts showcased the significant determination and agency of the local community in shaping the cultural outlook of the colony despite their limited political representation.

Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services (IMLS)

Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services (IMLS)

Measuring the relationship between museum attributes and visitors: An application of topic model on museum online reviews.

In recent years, cultural tourism has increasingly embraced museum visits. Museums serve as both cultural heritage guardians and integral parts of tourist destinations, significantly impacting visitor satisfaction and experience. Moreover, online museum reviews have become a crucial indicator of museum service quality, visitor experience, and public feedback in the digital age. An analysis of online reviews on major tourism websites and social media platforms can assist museums in developing appropriate management strategies. This study employed the structural topic model (STM) to analyze online museum reviews, identifying three primary attributes of museums and visitors' personal experiences, as well as 19 sub-attributes. The study confirmed that core offerings have a positive impact on visitor experience and satisfaction, while peripheral services and overall ambiance are also positively related to visitor experience and satisfaction. Furthermore, the results of structural equation modeling demonstrated that visitors' personal experiences have a positive impact on satisfaction. The results of structural equation modeling analysis support all seven hypothesized relationships. These findings will assist museum managers in developing effective management strategies and future plans.

AR Service Quality and Adoption Intention in Museums: The Mediating Role of Perceived Value and the Moderating Effect of Intracultural Differences

ABSTRACT The study aims to combine the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Service Quality Assessment Model (SQAM) to explore factors influencing visitors’ perceived value (PV) and their intention to use augmented reality (AR) in museums. Additionally, this study examined the mediating role of PV and the moderating effect of intracultural differences in the new framework. Data was collected from 524 participants in Taiwan and Mainland China. Structural equation modeling revealed that factors like perceived usefulness, reliability, assurance, tangibles, information sharing, and personal engagement positively contribute to PV. This study contributed a comprehensive model for examining the technological service quality in museums, especially the mediating effect of PV and the insignificant impact of Perceived ease of use. The study confirms PV’s role as a mediator and predictor of AR adoption intention. A multiple-group analysis explores the moderating effect of intracultural differences (between Taipei and Hangzhou museums). The study further reveals that the difference between Taipei and Hangzhou museums moderates the TAM, SQAM, and PV effects; for this matter, Chinese intracultural differences are analyzed and reviewed. The findings also provide managerial implications for stakeholders to enhance the provision of AR-related services in museums.

Pelayanan Pengunjung Disabilitas pada Museum Geologi dan Museum Konferensi Asia Afrika di Kota Bandung

This study is entitled "Disability Visitor Service at the Museum of Geology and Museum of the Asia Africa Conference in the Bandung City". This study seeks to find a discussion of museum services for persons with disabilities that substantively refer to the service quality concept revealed by Zeinthaml in 2006 consisting of (1) Tangibles, (2) Empathy, (3) Responsiveness, (4) Reliable and (5) Assurance, and performed at the Museum of Geology and the Museum of Asia Africa. This research uses a qualitative method approach. A qualitative approach is considered by researchers to be very appropriate in providing a holistic picture of the existing reality data. Data collection was performed using observation techniques, in- depth interviews, and documentation. Data analyzed was using the stages described by Miles and Huberman (1992: 16). Based on research, a conclusion can be drawn that both museums have all aspect studied for disabilities tourists. Broadly speaking, the Museum of Geology already has infrastructure and services that prepared for disabilities tourists, meanwhile the Museum of Asia Africa still has a variety of obstacles and minimal infrastructure will be aimed for disabilities tourists with some rules procedure and condition.

Discussion on Museum Public Services and Management Innovation

This paper delves into the importance of public services and management innovation in museums and their specific implementation strategies. Through a comprehensive analysis of the main challenges currently faced by museums in services and management, the paper cites a range of successful cases both domestically and internationally. It proposes innovative management strategies from five key aspects: technological application, audience participation, enhancement of educational functions, cross-sector cooperation, and sustainable development. The research indicates that adopting modern information technology, enhancing audience interaction, enriching educational content, and implementing cross-disciplinary cooperation can not only significantly improve the quality of museum services but also effectively enhance their management efficiency. This, in turn, better meets the public's cultural needs and promotes the sustainable development of museums.

Cultural communication in museums: A perspective of the visitors experience

As museums shift their responsibilities and functions towards audience-centered approaches, research on exploring museum cultural communication strategies through visitor experiences has gained increasing attention from both academia and industry. This study focuses on the newly opened Nan Song Deshou Palace Relics Site Museum in Hangzhou, China, completed at the end of 2022, and its visitors. Data were collected through on-site surveys and in-depth interviews. The research findings indicate that the current motivations of museum visitors manifest primarily in three forms: knowledge exploration, social interaction, and psychological restoration. After evaluating the existing museum service quality based on the field of experiential value in marketing management, two main issues and features were identified. The issues include sub-optimal visitor pathways and layout, dissatisfaction with staff services, and shortcomings in promotion and communication. The overall cultural learning and interactive experience for the entire visitor base also require improvement. The features are characterized by differentiated cultural and creative consumption in the museum and the emergence of interrelated consumer demands. Based on these findings, the study provides targeted recommendations for future museum construction and communication strategies.

Bringing Culture to People: A Co-design Method for Redefining the Role of the Museum

ICOM (International Council of Museums) envisions a role for the museum as an accessible and inclusive institution open to the public, which operates professionally and with the participation of communities. This vision requires research and practice to be fully implemented. The paper illustrates the participatory ideation and evaluation of new museum services that are inclusive and accessible for people who cannot visit the museum due to disability and age-related impairments. It illustrates the co-design process carried out within the EU project BeauCoup, which aims to make the cultural heritage accessible beyond the museum’s walls. This objective implies that the museum must play a key role in promoting inter-institutional partnerships between the cultural and the social sectors to engage marginalised communities. The paper describes the approach and the outcomes of the co-design process which involved various stakeholders and institutions, offering a reflection on the benefits and shortcomings of the approach.

Application of Virtual Reality in Lithuanian Museums

Research background. In the 21st century, ever-improving technologies and the related improvement of other services have encouraged the modernisation of the processes of all organisations. Museums are no exception (Šimanskienė, Valiušienė, Sloka, 2017). This rapid jump over the past year has been fuelled by the onset and rapid acceleration of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in numerous bans and restrictions. The pandemic has forced humanity to broaden its horizons or even change its interests. The museums started making virtual tours of exhibitions, video stories about works and expositions, or creating newsletters that packed virtual art games, discoveries, and gifts. To attract as many visitors as possible, museums have likewise attempted to improve their inventory but also to implemented never-before-seen virtual reality plans or projects while maintaining the originality characteristic of culture. The tourism sector was particularly affected, as the activities of travel or cultural organisations and companies were restricted or suspended. Only a part of organisations or companies carried out their activities remotely. The research problem. During the pandemic, Lithuanian museums were not ready to present themselves in a digital format, but quickly reoriented themselves. They started making virtual tours showing exhibitions, video stories about works and expositions, or creating newsletters that packed virtual art games, discoveries, and gifts (Tomkevičiūtė, 2020). To attract as many visitors as possible, museums have likewise attempted to improve their inventory but also to implemented never-before-seen virtual reality plans or projects while maintaining the originality characteristic of culture. The offer of museum services still lacks integrated virtual services that would improve the museum’s expositions and increase the number of visitors, so it is essential to find out why the integration of these services is not being expanded so rapidly. The aim of the study is to analyse the integration of virtual reality in the museums of Lithuania. The subject of study is the integration of virtual reality in museums. Methods. To reveal the object of the research - the application of virtual reality in museums, the research was carried out in several stages, choosing research methods such as scientific literature analysis, semi-structured interviews for data collection, and qualitative content for data analysis. Taking into account the selected research strategy, the selection of subjects was guided by the provision that all 5 specialists/experts working directly with service VR “Angelų takais” in the National M.K. Čiurlionis museum departments in Kaunas and Druskininkai will be interviewed. The interview questionnaire consisted of categories: preparation, service evaluation, service impact, and satisfaction. The questions are based on Gutowski and Klos-Adamkiewicz (2020) assessment model. The model consisted of virtual reality content, navigation, interactivity, functionality, additional options, graphics, accessibility for all groups, intuitiveness, multi-language capabilities. The collected data were transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results and conclusions. The application of virtual reality has been a major impact on the revival of the cultural sector affected by the pandemic and has given a second life to museums. According to the experts, there was also a great impact on society - those who were not interested in art began to be interested in it in the virtual reality form. The qualitative research showed the possibilities of applying this kind of virtual tour service “Angelų takais” to other offerings at the M.K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art. Till now this tour doesn’t have an educational function, but it will be integrated soon, the shortcomings and advantages of the service were noted, and the peculiarities were described. The success of this service was influenced by the reputation of the artist himself, whose paintings the museum is named after. Keywords: virtual reality, virtual tour, VR museum, VR service.

한·중 차(茶)박물관 비교 연구

The Modern Museum is a complex educational and cultural center that collects, investigates, researches, and discloses important materials and items in various fields such as art, history, food, and electronic devices, and emphasizes education, research, and exhibitions. Accordingly, this study focuses on the Korean Tea Museum and the Chinese Tea Leaf Museum, studies their development plans, and seeks ways to promote friendship between the two countries through tea in the future.
 The revitalization plan for the Korea-China Museum is as follows. First, communication between museums and visitors must be strengthened by introducing digital technology. Second, visitors’ intention to revisit must be increased through differentiation strategies. Third, the tea museum's service types should be expanded and used as a festival space to revitalize the local economy. Fourth, the brand value of tea culture must be increased overseas. Fifth, tea culture must be promoted through a globalization strategy. In other words, considering the cultural specificity and role of tea, the value of the tea museum must be realized through tea and tea culture in a global universality.

경증 장애인과 가족 돌봄자의 효과적인 미술관 융합교육을 위한 뮤지엄 액티브 러닝 방법론 연구

This study presents the following objectives for the necessity of art museum activities necessary for the disabled and family caregivers. First, active art museum factors for people with mild disabilities and families are discovered. Second, we propose an active learning range centered on effectiveness and self-efficacy. Third, we find the Gap elements of art museum activity and present effective art museum service design. Fourth, we will build a museum active learning model that embraces both disabilities and non-disabilities. As a result of studying the special program of art museums centered on the last three years, Case-based learning is advantageous for the disabled, and family caregivers predict that Goal-based learning, Team-based learning, and Problem-based learning methods are effective. Disabled and family caregivers can try Flipped learning, Action learning, and Project-based learning together. The results of this study: First, there should be many cultural and artistic service programs by expanding public care for the developmentally disabled and the elderly with dementia. Second, m service design should help disabled people and their families with a sense of accomplishment, satisfaction, and social resilience. Third, art museum experience education services for the mildly disabled and their families should prioritize various activities, familiar living materials, and space accessibility

Visitor orientation as a game changer for the digital transformation of museums

ABSTRACT The pandemic crisis has accelerated the process of digital transformation in museums. The introduction of innovations in the area of communication and processes of providing museum services to visitors has practically demonstrated its usefulness. By defining the critical variables of the digital transformation process for museums, we confirmed the hypothesis that visitor orientation mediates the relationship between the communication system and process innovations. Our research was conducted on 200 Polish museums using the SEM methodology. Studying the role of visitor orientation in museums highlights the institution’s mission and relationship with digital transformation. This also contributes to the developing knowledge about game changers and presents a new game-changer in the digital transformation process for cultural institutions. Our considerations align with contingency theory and provide a better understanding of how internal factors (such as visitor orientation) under special external conditions can affect the digital transformation process.

Immersive experiences in museums for elderly with cognitive disorders: a user-centered design approach

In the context of global aging, to explore the design needs of elderly with dementia in museum environments, to establish a user cognitive psychological model based on immersion theory, and to enhance the satisfaction of cognitively impaired dementia with the museum service experience. Using literature research, surveys, questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups, we analyze the experience design from the psychological demands of elderly with dementia, build a method of mining user needs by combining the KANO model with the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method, and establish a model for evaluating the excellence of the experience of the museum environment. The conclusion shows that displaying museum virtual scenes or old objects can effectively increase the subjective well-being of people suffering from various health conditions. The method can accurately tap the attributes of the needs of elderly with dementia, break through the drawbacks of the traditional museum experience design which is dominated by the designer's subjective consciousness, and allow the audience to better experience the museum immersive experience, which provides a new idea and method for the effectiveness of cognitive interventions for elderly with cognitive disorders.

Efektívnosť kultúrnych služieb na úseku múzeí v samosprávnych krajoch Slovenska

The efficiency of cultural services is the common subject of certain studies as the cultural services belong to the public sector and are connected to the public finance. The aim of the study is to identify, using the data envelopment analysis, the efficiency of cultural services in museums at self-government level in Slovakia. Research outcomes show that only two Slovak self-government levels are efficient. The rest six Slovak self-government levels are inefficient; therefore, this study suggests decreasing number of museums and expositions and to increase number of visitors and cultural education activities. On the other hand, this study maps the alternative options how the inefficient self-government levels can be efficient.

Museumification of оrangery and сonservatory сomplexes. Modern Russian practice

At present Peterhof Museum-Reserve is developing the concept of adapting the Great Orangery, one of the most impressive buildings in the Lower Park, which was built in 1722–1725 by the order of Peter the Great for the cultivation of rare plants and wintering ornamental plants in tubes and pots. The global events of the recent years are changing the audience of the Peterhof Museum-Reserve, one of the most-visited museums in the world, which must be taken into an account when formulating the tasks that come out of complex restoration of the museum buildings and monuments. At the same time, it is important to rely on Russian and foreign experience of museumification of orangery and conservatory complexes. The paper presents an analysis of Russian practice of museumification of additional historical objects on the territory of museum-reserves and museum-estates (in the 2010s and early 2020s considerable attention was paid to the adaptation of such historical household buildings and territories as farms, aviaries, orangery, conservatories and vegetable gardens). The use of monuments with such functions is classified as being used “for a museum” (for exhibitions and museum services) and “as a museum” (turning the monument into an independent object of museum display). The authors are analyzing the projects in Kuskovo, Strelna, Archangelskoye, Tsaritsyno, Yasnaya Polyana, Gatchina and others. An overview is given of the dynamics of the museumification of the Great Orangery in Peterhof.

Інклюзивність музейних просторів як можливість розвитку екскурсійної діяльності для осіб з обмеженими можливостями

The theoretical aspects of excursion activities for persons with disabilities are analyzed, modern foreign and domestic practices of inclusion in the tourism sphere are characterized, the main aspects of the introduction of an inclusive museum space in Ukraine are highlighted. It was determined that, taking into account the nature of various features of tourists with disabilities, and to serve each group of such persons, it is necessary to use specialized methods and techniques of conducting excursions. In the course of the study, it was determined that for the introduction of inclusion in museum spaces, it is necessary to inform about the concept of inclusion, work on clarification of the effectiveness of its implementation as an opportunity to increase and strengthen the competence of museum workers, improve the quality of museum services and open new directions of interaction with the public for the implementation of various museum projects . The study of modern domestic practices of excursion service for persons with disabilities shows that the leading museum institutions of Ukraine are actively involved in this process. Having analyzed the foreign experience, it is worth noting that most European states have a high degree of environment adjustment for the development of inclusive tourism and its individual types and excursion activities. Spain, Finland, Greece, the Czech Republic, Germany, France, Austria, and Great Britain are among the countries where almost all elements of the tourist infrastructure are most adapted for the development of inclusive tourism. It was determined that certain strategies aimed at the sustainability of inclusive processes and comprehensive actions, which will include an assessment of the needs of vulnerable groups and their own capabilities, joint development of plans and programs, projects, strategic partnerships and cooperation, organization of feedback communication, communication strategy and representation of its services, as well as elements of advocacy and fundraising.

Total Quality Management in the Archeological Museums of Greece

A widely accepted method of measuring the quality of services is SERVQUAL, introduced by Parasuraman, Zeintham, and Berry in 1985. SERVQUAL measures the gap between the expectations and the perceptions of the customers about the efficiency of services based on five dimensions: (1) tangibles, (2) reliability, (3) responsiveness, (4) assurance, and (5) empathy. Subsequent studies have examined the effectiveness of this model in various fields, such as retail trade and tourism (Finn XXABSTRACT Lamb, 1991; Maher et al., 2011). Various critics of this tool state that there is greater focus on customer perceptions than on customer expectations, so that the gap between expected and actual service performance cannot be accurately determined (Daskalaki et al., 2020). In addition, the use of SERVQUAL in measuring the quality of services in museums is quite ineffective. For this reason, Frochot and Hughes (2000), based on the service quality model SERVQUAL, developed another specialized model for evaluating cultural services, the HISTOQUAL scale. The main approach of HISTOQUAL is based on the comparison between visitor perceptions and their expectations. The article analyzes the HISTOQUAL in the Archeological Museums of Greece.

Enhancing the Effectiveness of Digital Museum Services: Through a Study of Perceived Value Theory

Enhancing the Effectiveness of Digital Museum Services: Through a Study of Perceived Value Theory

Upgrading museum experience: Insights into offline visitor perceptions through social media trends

With the rise of the experience economy, visitor experiences and feedback have become central to improving museum services. To enhance their appeal, understanding visitors' real experiences is key. This study, based on online reviews of museums in Jiangxi Province from April 2020 to May 2023 on platforms like Dianping and Ctrip, employs high-frequency keyword analysis, topic analysis, semantic networks, and sentiment analysis to deeply explore visitors' offline experiences. While most visitors provided positive feedback, criticisms were also raised concerning exhibit content, service attitude, and interactive programs. These online feedbacks offer valuable insights, aiding us in understanding and enhancing the offline service experience in museums. This research provides a unique perspective for other museums and cultural institutions, aiming to optimize offline visitor experiences through online social media trends.

Museum Tourism in the Post-Pandemic Period: Problems and Prospects of Development

The purpose of this paper is to identify modern forms and methods of interaction between a museum and a tourist visitor in new socio-cultural and economic contexts. Museum as a socio-cultural institution is subject to changes occurring in society and reflects in its activities those rules, demands and values that are relevant for a particular period of history. The spread of market relations in the socio-cultural sphere and the processes of digitalization, accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, are directly reflected in the activities of museums. Today, the museum is transforming from a creator and interpreter of scientific knowledge and a guardian of cultural values into an industry that creates a special environment for visitors. Reorientation towards the individual visitor as the main consumer of the museum tourism product poses new issues and challenges for museums. Thus, in the context of individualization of consumer demand, the issue of “including” the museum in the economy of impressions with its emphasis on emotional information, personal experiences of a person and creation of his/her personal experience becomes relevant. Within the framework of the communication approach, the authors of the article investigate the practices of using the basic principles of the impression economy to create a competitive product and build a dialogue between the tourist and the museum on its basis. The latter becomes important in the light of the formation of the visitor’s loyalty to the cultural identity of the city and the region where the museum is located. The application of the system approach allowed to identify general and private practices of museum service in the conditions of a new model of consumption, oriented to meet the increasing demands of the individual tourist. The materials of the article can not only be used in the theoretical and applied activities of museums, but also serve as an analytical basis for regional and municipal state structures in the development of effective programmes and strategies for tourism development.