Understanding the Museum Experience: A Review of Visitor Research and Its Applicability to Museum Web Sites

Researchers have been investigating how people behave and learn with relation to museums for three-quarters of century. The result is a growing body of literature which documents why people go to museums and what they do when they get there. In recent years, research has also begun to reveal the long-term impact of a museum experience. This presentation will review this research literature, focusing on studies which provide insights into the similarities and differences between "real" and "virtual" museum experiences.