Museums and Cultural Heritage

Museology examines how people encounter, interpret, and make meaning from objects, exhibitions, and environments outside the formal classroom — particularly in museums, science centers, and heritage sites. Because visits are self-directed and often social, researchers study how design choices in interactive exhibits, the dynamics of family conversation, and the sequencing of a gallery all shape what visitors actually learn and carry away. The stakes are considerable: as institutions compete for attention and justify public funding, understanding free-choice learning helps museums serve diverse audiences more equitably and sustain cultural knowledge across generations. Active questions include how digital and on-site experiences can reinforce rather than distract from one another, and what kinds of engagement genuinely persist beyond the visit itself.

Works

103,719

Total citations

267,479

Keywords

Museum LearningInformal EducationScience CentersVisitor ExperienceFamily EngagementFree-Choice Learning