THE UTILIZATION GUIDELINE OF DIGITAL MEDIA INTERVENTION TECHNIQUES IN MUSEUM EXHIBITION DESIGN FOR MOTIVATING VISITORS’ INTEREST AND INTERACTION: A CASE STUDY OF SIX SELECTED MUSEUMS IN CHINA

Abstract

Extensive research has emphasized that heritage digital interpretation and presentation technologies enhance visitor experiences and communication of heritage culture. The exhibition practice did not achieve the desired effect. And, few studies have explored how the attraction of digital interpretation is within one of its key scenarios: the museum exhibition environment. Therefore, the research question arises: Under the intervention of digital technology, what factors in the museum exhibition environment will affect the interest and interaction of visitors? How to propose a utilization guideline that can use digital technology to enhance the interest and engagement of different visitors? The key points of this research include: first, to find out the factors that affect visitors' interest and interaction in museum exhibitions composed of digital technology by using the literature method and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The research shows that the top ten factors affecting visitors' interest and interaction are visual language style, the narrative type, color contrast, interactive form, and clear theme in design factors; digital exhibit location and layout in environmental factors; and cognitive characteristics, physical characteristics, number of museum-visiting per year of visitors, and identity characteristics in visitor factors. Secondly, through studying the physical environments of China's popular museums and evaluating their alignment with key factors, we conducted assessments using an exhibition walk-through, scenarioE visits, and visitor interviews. Identified issues included: lack of specific tour information or improper placement of digital media in exhibition spaces; obstacles in main corridors; overcrowding that reduced visit efficiency; and poorly understandable exhibits coupled with subpar environmental ambiance, which further diminished the appeal of digital exhibits. The third part involves the study of museum visitors, which utilizes behavioral observation and visitor questionnaire surveys to further determine the behavioral preferences and needs of visitors, as well as their relationships with key factors. Research indicates that high-appeal digital exhibits and interactive displays share these key characteristics: environmental harmony, clear thematic focus, engaging presentation, innovative use of new media technologies, and the application of color visual language through 3D graphics to demonstrate internal structures or workflows. These exhibits are strategically positioned along main exhibition routes or within dedicated digital spaces. Fourth, the application guidelines were finally proposed through a summary and discussion. Through an image simulation questionnaire, it was proven that the design guidelines using the seven principles of universal design (7UD) could be used to improve visitors' interest and engagement. This study is the first to disentangle the association between environmental conditions (design and environmental factors) of digital technology and attraction, and to determine whether visitor factors mediate this association. Based on factor analysis results, the research developed a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) framework integrating the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model and attention value model. This framework not only covers design elements of digital interpretation and interaction as well as environmental dimensions, but also incorporates dimensions of attraction power (AP) and visitor experiential aspects. The findings confirm that this evaluation framework can be applied to assess the effectiveness of museum exhibitions. The results of the study reveal how the environmental characteristics in museum exhibitions affect the attractiveness of digital interpretation to different types of visitors, providing a utilization guideline and suggestions of digital media intervention techniques in museum exhibition design for motivating visitors’ interest and interaction that focuses on the communication of cultural heritage.