Analyzing Visitor Perceptions of Personalization in Art Museum Interactive Technology

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Although art museums are increasingly exploring the use of interactive technology to engage visitors, very little research has explored visitor perceptions of these technologies and the specific strategies employed through the technology to achieve increased engagement. This study investigates visitor perceptions of personalization strategies in art museum interactive technology, using interviews conducted with average museum visitors to understand their perceptions of technologies that attempt to make the visitor’s experience more personal and unique. Thirty-four visitors were interviewed in Gallery One at the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio. Results show that personalization did matter to museum visitors in the Gallery One space, but that despite the technology’s perceived value among visitors, most visitors did not engage with the personalization features. These results expand the available research on interactive technology in art museums, suggesting visitors value personalization features, and calling for further research into the difference between valuation and use.