Delivering the Visitor Experience: How to Create, Manage and Develop an Unforgettable Visitor Experience at your Museum

The visitor experience is the single most important factor in influencing visitors' return to a museum and recommending it to others. It has undergone the biggest change in the last twenty years, with visitors expecting teams of friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate people to engage them interactively and enthusiastically. The book discusses the process of delivering a visitor experience from beginning to end, drawing from theories from practitioners and academics to build experiences that are impactful and unforgettable.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 17 August 2023
Publisher: Facet Publishing

Visitor experience has long been an overlooked aspect of museum practice, receiving less academic attention than areas such as exhibition design or collections care. However, the quality of the visitor experience is the single most important factor that will influence visitors returning to a museum or recommending a visit to friends or family. It is also the area of museum practice that has undergone the biggest change in the last twenty years. The image of the aged security guard shouting at children to not touch the exhibits has long gone. Now, museum visitors expect teams of friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate people ready to engage them with the museum in an interactive and enthusiastic way. Expectations have never been higher, and as they grow, museums must develop the visitor experiences they deliver in order to meet them.

The book discusses the process of delivering a visitor experience from beginning to end; from opening a new visitor offer and building a team through to future planning and strategies for development. It draws from theories from practitioners and academics, arguing that by examining issues such as motivation and relevance, museum operators can start to truly put themselves in their visitors' shoes and build experiences that are impactful and unforgettable.

In conclusion, the visitor experience is a critical component of museum practice that has the potential to greatly impact visitors' experiences and attitudes towards museums. By examining issues such as motivation and relevance, museum operators can start to build experiences that are impactful and unforgettable. The book provides a valuable guide for practitioners and academics alike, offering insights and strategies for delivering a visitor experience that meets and exceeds expectations.

Weight: 318g
Dimension: 153 x 234 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781783305490