Museum Visitors Research Articles

The Museum Journey: Phenomenological Exploration of User Experience in the Bahrain National Museum

The design of museums has significantly evolved over the years, from simple exhibitions of artifacts to immersive andinteractive experiences. This paper explores the pivotal role of architectural phenomenology in shaping visitor’sexperience in museum design. We aim to achieve this goal by adopting a qualitative research approach of the BahrainNational Museum. The museum is an excellent example of how architectural phenomenology can cater to creating aspace that has meaning beyond its physical dimensions. By analyzing the museum's design elements, we identify keycontributors to the emotional and intellectual engagement of visitors with the museum environment. The findingsreveal that incorporating phenomenology principles has significantly elevated the overall design quality of the museumand provides visitors with a unique and immersive experience that highlights Bahrain's rich history and culturalheritage. Ultimately, this knowledge can inform future museum designers and professionals, leading to more effectiveand rewarding experiences for museum visitors.

메타버스 기술을 적용한 박물관 체험유형이 고객 방문의도에 미치는 영향 연구

This study empirically examined the relationship between visitors’experience types, images of museums perceived by visitors, and future intention to visit museums that provide experiences by applying metaverse technology. The results revealed that factors such as sensory, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and relationship experiences had a significant positive effect on image and visit intention. In addition, the positive mediating effect of museum image was confirmed in the process of the metaverse museum experience type affecting the intention to visit. These results are significant because they provide various academic and practical implications through an in-depth analysis of the museum metaverse experience.

Museum experience in battlefield tourism: a netnographic approach

PurposeThis study aims to analyze the war museum experience by analyzing the comments and feedback provided by visitors on Google and TripAdvisor. This analysis intends to uncover the various aspects of war museum experiences.Design/methodology/approachA total of 201 comments, in which visitors explicitly articulated their experiences at the museum, were subjected to analysis. The comments were examined using a netnography analysis. Four dimensions; object experience, cognitive experience, introspective experience and social experience were used to group the analyzed remarks.FindingsThe findings indicate that the majority of the participants' museum experiences at the Canakkale Gallipoli Epic Promotion Center were introspective experiences, that the visitors felt extremely strong emotions as a result of the technological systems used in the museum and that they perceived the museum as being in a combat zone. Additionally, it was noted that the appearance of the artifacts in the museums really impressed the tourists and that the museum had provided them with thorough information about the war.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of this study are the number of visitors to the museum and the number of reviews written on Google and TripAdvisor about the visit experience. Especially since the majority of the reviews on Google do not include comments and only consist of ratings, the number of comments on the museum experience is limited.Originality/valueWhile there exists a range of studies examining the experiences of tourists at historical places, there is a scarcity of research that specifically focuses on analyzing the impacts of these experiences from the visitors' standpoint. Given the absence of any existing study examining the experiences of war museum visitors using the netnographic approach within this particular context, this research is believed to possess originality and is anticipated to address the existing gap in the relevant literature. Furthermore, this work holds significant theoretical and practical ramifications for curators and scholars. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, since this research is the first to comprehensively analyze the experiences of war museum visitors using the netnographic approach and no similar studies have been found in existing literature, the findings of this study are considered original.

Teaching multimodality in the museum through embodied experiences

This reflection focuses on the integration of a museum visit into a higher education course for the purpose of teaching multimodality in an embodied way. Informed by the social semiotic approach to multimodality, the course aims to help students critically interact with multimodal texts using multimodal concepts. In this pedagogical process, exhibitions as multimodal texts gain a special place. This reflection highlights four activities which were designed to support the embodied learning of multimodality during a visit to a youth gallery with a group of university students. These activities included two types of explorations, responding to guiding questions, group discussions and map drawing. This reflection concludes with some thoughts on the benefits of the embodied teaching of multimodality through museum visits in higher education.

Enhancing museum experience through deep learning and multimedia technology

Amidst the swift progression of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the museum sector has witnessed a notable inclination towards its adoption. This manuscript endeavours to amplify the interactive milieu of contemporary museum patrons by amalgamating a deep learning algorithm with multimedia technology. The crux of our investigation is the exploration of an adaptive convolutional neural network (CNN) to enrich the interactive engagement of museum visitors. Initially, we leverage the adaptive CNN for the image recognition chore pertaining to museum artifacts and exhibits, thereby facilitating automatic recognition and categorization. Furthermore, to surmount the constraints of conventional pooling algorithms in image feature extraction, we suggest an adaptive pooling algorithm, grounded in the maximum pooling algorithm paradigm. Subsequently, multimedia algorithms are amalgamated into the interactive apparatus, enabling visitors to immerse in exhibits and avail more profound information and experiences. Through juxtaposition with traditional image processing algorithms, the efficacy of our proposed algorithm within a museum ambiance is assessed. Experimental outcomes evince that our algorithm attains superior accuracy and robustness in artifact identification and classification endeavours. In comparison to alternative algorithms, our methodology furnishes more precise and comprehensive displays and interpretations, accurately discerning and categorizing a myriad of exhibit types. This research unveils innovative notions for the digital metamorphosis and advancement of modern museums. Through the incorporation of avant-garde deep learning algorithms and multimedia technologies, the museum visitor experience is elevated, proffering more enthralling and interactive displays. The elucidations of this manuscript hold substantial merit for the continual evolution and innovation within the museum industry.

Movement in museums: Using movement as embodied learning

This article considers the ways that movement can be used as an affective experience for art museum visitors. In so doing, the correlation between art experience and cultural history is explored through the relationship between movement and language. This exploration can be utilized to cultivate important conversations regarding the role of the unwelcome body in the institutionalized museum space that has been difficult to recognize and articulate utilizing traditional Western histories, contexts, and methods of understanding and discussion. Here, the experience of moving with an art object, rather than around or in front of, increases the connection, or relation, between the user and the object despite unfamiliarity with museum spaces or art objects. Rather than asking the participant to interpret the art object verbally in a way that is understandable to others, this article argues that using movement allows the participants to interpret what they are thinking and feeling in a way that is specific to their minds, bodies and cultural contexts. Experimental movement might interrupt the inhibiting quality of many museum experiences by making space for visitors’ thoughts, feelings and experiences above all else.

Pengaruh media sosial dalam penyampaian informasi terhadap minat berkunjung Kembali di Museum H. M. soeharto

This study aims to determine how much influence social media as a forum for communication and information delivery has on the interest in revisiting HM Soeharto Museum in Yogyakarta. Through a quantitative approach, this study uses a survey method to collect data from randomly selected museum visitors. The population in this study were visitors to HM Soeharto Museum, while the sample was determined on tourists who had visited the museum before and were at least 14 years old. The data collection tool used was a closed questionnaire with a range of 1-5 Likert Scale scores. The results of data analysis showed a significant influence between the use of social media and interest in revisiting HM Soeharto Museum. The regression coefficient and correlation coefficient showed that any increase in social media usage was associated with a significant increase in interest in revisiting the museum. These findings have important implications in the context of museum promotion and marketing as well as cultural tourism activities. Visitors to HM Soeharto Museum are advised to follow their social media accounts to get the latest information. By making good use of social media, visitors can provide feedback to the museum about the experience of visiting. Visitors can also invite friends or relatives to visit together. This can contribute to increasing interest in visiting HM Soeharto Museum again and enriching visitors' experience in exploring Indonesia's historical heritage.

Museum visit intervention in K-12 education: a scoping review

This scoping review aims to provide an overview of empirical studies on worldwide museum visit intervention in K-12 education. The study employed Mendeley citation software to identify the articles in the database. A meta-analysis PRISMA statement is used for reporting the items. Out of 135 possibly rich articles, the present study reviewed 18 studies that met the inclusion criteria and were subjected to descriptive and content analyses published between 2017 and 2021. Most of the studies are experimental and from primary school contexts. It is revealed that science is the subject matter context majority of the studies, but philosophy, disaster management, language, and environmental science are also represented. The content analysis resulted in the following learning and social outcomes. It states that social outcome is explored chiefly, followed by learning outcome. The findings indicate that museum visit intervention positively impacts students learning and social outcome. The review also identifies the need for further research on museum visit intervention in the Asia Pacific region.

The art of feeling different: Exploring the diversity of emotions experienced during an art museum visit.

The art of feeling different: Exploring the diversity of emotions experienced during an art museum visit.

Analyzing Identity Storytelling for On-site Learning in Museums

This research investigates the specific designs of on-site identity storytelling in city museums, made of three case studies with an Identity Education (IdEd) framework proposed in an early conference paper by the author. Conclusions of the case studies are reached on how the city museums take advantage of different contextual factors to engage the visitors of five motivational types, whether there is any gap between the target identity expected by the city and the identity narratives presented by the city museum, and if any, how huge the gap is. The subsequent discussion, comparing the three cases, makes this research a comparative study and provides suggestions for each city museum. In general, this research sets an example of how the IdEd framework could be applied to the evaluation of on-site learning materials and opportunities in museums, thereby helping better the instructional design on the part of curators and offering guidelines for observing the museum visitors’ learning experiences in future field studies with similar educational concerns.

Materializing mortality: Re‐enchanting grave goods in the British Museum using mixed‐method approaches to audience research

AbstractGrave goods are among the most common, but at the same time most powerful, objects on display in many museums. They possess the rare—often latent—ability to convey both particular and universal themes and to collapse chronological and cultural differences by connecting the shared embodiment of museum visitors and past people. To explore these values, this study draws on the results of two phases of in‐depth, mixed‐methods audience research before and after a rapid and low‐cost interpretative intervention: the “Death, Memory and Meaning” trail in the later prehistoric galleries of the British Museum. The analysis highlights the importance of fore‐fronting intimacy and the complex relationship between bodies and objects. It also demonstrates the importance of contextual, emotionally and spiritually connected approaches to the presentation of grave goods. Our findings are especially timely given the intensification of ethical concerns surrounding displays of prehistoric European human remains in museums.

Robots as addressable non-persons: an analysis of categorial work at the boundaries of the social world.

Prompted by the material turn in the social sciences and the development of novel interaction technologies, lively debates in social theory have arisen regarding the agency of non-human entities. While these debates primarily involve exchanging theoretical arguments against the background of different theoretical positions, ethnomethodological membership categorization analysis (MCA) provides an empirical approach to questions of non-human agency. The article discusses the debate on non-human agency, demonstrates how MCA can be used to investigate categorial work at the boundaries of the social, and presents the example of an encounter between two museum visitors and a humanoid robot to show how the robot is categorized in a specific way as an 'addressable non-person.' In this way, it becomes clear that social-theoretical debates and empirically oriented MCA can mutually inspire each other and how the 'basic categorization apparatus' addresses new alterities.

Comparison of gamified and non-gamified mixed reality in enhancing museum visitor engagement, motivation, and learning outcome

ABSTRACT This study, conducted at the Wieng Yong House Museum in Lamphun, Thailand, examines the impact of gamification within mixed reality (MR) experiences on visitor engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes. Utilizing a comparative approach, the research contrasts Gamified and Non-Gamified Mixed Reality groups. To facilitate this evaluation, we developed two versions of mixed reality applications: a Gamified Mixed Reality version incorporating interactive game elements such as leaderboards, progress maps, badges, levels, and quizzes, and a Non-Gamified version without these gaming elements. The findings reveal that while gamification notably enhances the reward dimension of visitor engagement, its influence on other motivational dimensions, overall engagement, and learning outcomes is less pronounced. Behavioral data analysis indicates that the Gamified Mixed Reality group exhibited a 30 percent increase in both total and average duration of museum interaction, suggesting a heightened level of visitor engagement. Despite these findings, the study suggests that the implementation of gamification in mixed reality might be more suitable for larger museums with sufficient resources to support extensive MR setups. The research underscores the nuanced effects of gamification in educational museum settings, providing essential insights for cultural institutions considering the adoption of MR technologies.

Visitor experience as translation

Abstract This paper explores the museum visitor experience as a form of translation. It argues that if a given exhibition can be seen as a cultural translation, then it is also true that the visitor’s reading of that exhibition constitutes a further layer of translation, as the visitor enacts their own transformation of the culture on display. The paper draws on intertextuality as a means to understand the ways in which this transformation occurs. It delineates a three-level typology of intertexts employed by the visitor and considers how the use of such intertexts constructs the visitor’s positionality in regard to the exhibition. The paper focuses on data from a diasporic museum, the Museum of Chinese in America, and applies a methodology involving analysis of TripAdvisor reviews and post-visit diaries to the online museum. The paper concludes that diaspora museums are a case in which the particular nexus of identity issues at work provide a more complex view of the visitor experience as translation.

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.

Enhancing Museum Experience through Augmented Reality: The Case of the Indonesian Postal Museum

This paper presents the development and implementation of Mussia AR, an interactive augmented reality (AR) application designed for the Indonesian Postal Museum. Aimed at enhancing the educational and engagement aspects of museum visits, this project addresses the need for innovative approaches in museum experiences. We followed an Extreme Programming methodology for the development, ensuring a user-centric and iterative approach. The application overlays digital information onto physical exhibits, providing visitors with an immersive and informative experience. Our development process included comprehensive user needs analysis, application design, implementation, and extensive testing for both functionality and user experience. The results from user testing indicate a significant improvement in visitor engagement and satisfaction. The application not only succeeded in providing an enhanced learning experience but also demonstrated the potential of AR technology in cultural and educational settings. Future recommendations include expanding the content, introducing multilingual support, and extending the application's compatibility to various platforms. Mussia AR stands as a testament to the effective use of AR in enriching educational experiences in museums.

Effect of product design on repurchase intention, electronic word‐of‐mouth, and museum visit intention: Museum random boxes in China

AbstractThis study examines how product design affects museum visits and museum product loyalty. Based on the gaps in previous research, the study posits interrelationships among product design (esthetics and symbolism), emotional states (pleasure and arousal), attitude toward the product, loyalty repurchase intention and electronic word‐of‐mouth (eWOM), and museum visit intention. This research applied partial least squares‐structural equation modeling to analyze data from 316 customers who purchased the museum's random boxes. The empirical results suggest that (1) esthetics and symbolism are antecedents of attitude, pleasure, and arousal; (2) attitude toward the product mediates the effect of product design on product loyalty and museum visit intention; (3) arousal helps mediate the relationship between symbolism and repurchase intention; and (4) pleasure is an antecedent of attitude toward the product. This study provides valuable practical simplications and offers new areas for future studies.

Structuring the Museum Audience on the Example of Izhevsk and Votkinsk

Modern sociological research demonstrates the need to comprehend the transformation of the organizational principles of museum work, which implies the intensification of interactivity in various forms and the provision of opportunities for individual involvement and for the activities of public associations. The development of museums presupposes a combination of two factors: firstly, the articulated symbolic value of objects, and secondly, different types of capital of actors who make up a one-time or permanent audience. Museums in provincial cities have difficulties with these factors, as their inhabitants, due to their habitus, are limited in resources and the cultural value of the practice of visiting museums is not obvious to them. In addition, provincial museums as a rule do not have information about the composition of their visitors and their cultural needs. The aim of the article is to determine the structure of the museum audience on the example of two cities of the Udmurt Republic — Izhevsk and Votkinsk. The empirical basis of the research is based on the data of a qualitative study with the staff of museums in Izhevsk and Votkinsk(n = 25), supplemented by surveys in Izhevsk (n = 600) and Votkinsk (n = 330). In accordance with L. Lotina’s typology, five forms of cultural engagement were identified: public, audience, visitors, users (regular visitors), and participants. The analysis of such categories as public and audience allows us to define the place of going to museums as a form of leisure. Differences in leisure preferences of residents of Izhevsk and Votkinsk are related to commercial forms of leisure. Regular visitors of museums and other cultural institutions, among whom middle-aged women, pensioners and families with children predominate, demonstrate a high degree of satisfaction with the content and level of work of these institutions. At the same time, there are difficulties associated with the transition of regular visitors to the category of active participants, which are caused by staffing, resource and organizational limitations of museums, as well as the existing level of differentiation of the museum audience.

Development of Augmented Reality Application as An Educational Media for Visitors to Museum Pusaka Keraton Kasepuhan Cirebon Using Object Tracking Method and Fast Corner Detection Algorithm Based on Android

Augmented Reality is a technology that combines two-dimensional or three-dimensional virtual objects and projects these virtual objects in real time. One implementation of Augmented Reality in the tourism sector is to educate museum visitors. Museum Pusaka Keraton Kasepuhan Cirebon does not yet have a touch of technology to attract visitors, and the public paradigm is that visiting the museum only sees heirloom objects, nothing interesting or unique. The aim of the research carried out by the author is to apply Augmented Reality with the Object Tracking method and the FAST Corner Detection algorithm to educate museum visitors, so that it can attract visitors' attention. By utilizing these methods and algorithms, it can be easier for visitors to explore heirloom objects to obtain the desired information. So the results obtained from the research conducted by the author are that the response time for objects appearing using the Tracking Object method and the FAST Corner Detection algorithm in environments that use glass is an average of 1.52 seconds to 2.40 seconds and that does not use glass, namely 2.84 seconds to 4.71 seconds with a level of confidence at the 95% level.

A critical-discursive investigation of smart heritage politics in China from macro-political, meso-institutional and micro-user perspectives

ABSTRACT The emerging concept of ‘smart’ in the field of cultural heritage in China is shaping new relationships between cultural representation, production, consumption and regulation. The study conducted an urban anthropological exploration of the transformation and construction of smart cultural heritage in Hangzhou, China in 2022–2023. Over 40 stakeholders were interviewed, including officials, heritage experts, museum curators and directors, technicians, and museum visitors. The paper explores the smart heritage politics in China from the macro-political, meso-institutional and micro-user perspectives. This study illustrates the role of smart cultural heritage as a ‘social technological imagination’ and highlights the existence of intercultural communication deficits and disparities between stakeholders. It reveals inconsistencies between the official Chinese technological narratives and the reality of the perceived impacts. The top-down proliferation of smart heritage discourses in China, driven by the authoritarian bureaucracy and leading-edge ICT companies, has overshadowed the voices and experiences of grassroots practitioners and users.