Interactive Experiential Model: Insights from Shadowing Students’ Exhibitory Footprints

ABSTRACT As museums evolve and shift toward interactive exhibitions by utilizing cutting-edge technologies, there has been a gap in research that distinguishes interactive exhibit experiences from static exhibit experiences. Therefore, using the grounded theory method [Corbin, Juliet, and Anselm Strauss. Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2014], we investigated how students feel, enjoy, behave, and learn when they use interactive exhibits in science museums. We examined the roles of expectation, attention, engagement, immersion, memory, and reminiscence in the context of the static exhibit experiential model, utilizing a wide variety of previous research. Additionally, we coded and analyzed the data obtained from a shadowing and interview process, which brought us to the conclusion that there is a distinguishable experiential model for interactive exhibitions, which includes the key elements of fun and sharing. The model was broken down into the pre-, during, and post-visit phases, considering each of the key elements separately. We believe the model we propose can contribute to the literature by providing an initial framework for visitors’ experiences with interactive exhibitions.