The perils of smart technology in museums

Abstract

Technology has rendered as a means to reshape tourist experience, but it may backfire to created unintended consequences when technological devices are overused to dominate the experience creation process. This study investigates how and why smart technologies fail to reach their intended goals, and the unfavorable consequences in such circumstances from the tourist perspective. The present inquiry utilized a qualitative field research through observations and semi-structured interviews based on data collected in two smart museums that put technology in center stage. The results present a phenomenon we coined as peril of smart technology, identifying three major categories of this phenomenon: emotional disresonance, technology-induced cognitive dissonance, and technology loathing. This study contributes to the literature by illuminating the dark side of smart technology in the museum context, which sets it apart from the extant literature that focuses primarily on the positive side of technology. Additionally, the findings provide practical implications for museum operators.