Are public spaces welcoming to all? A conjoint experiment on cultural representation and inclusionary practices in museums

Abstract

While art should be for everyone, public institutions like museums are not always inclusive to all members of society. Arts participation varies by sociodemographic characteristics despite the numerous benefits of the arts. To date, much of the research has focused on how visitor characteristics influence museums, but how do museum characteristics influence arts participation? We employ a conjoint experiment where respondents assess how they value different art museum attributes. In particular, we examine differences in cultural representation of artists and museum programming as well as accessibility in terms of object labels and cost. Our findings support the need for greater use of inclusionary practices and cultural representation in museums, particularly for more relatable language labels and more community‐based program events. We also find notable differences across subgroups, such as partisanship and race, emphasizing the need for more representative, accessible, and inclusive museums.