Assistance and inclusivity as a part of experience: museum context

Abstract

In the current dynamic environment, museums, instead of deliberating whether they should be audience-oriented, have to consider how to implement this idea to shape positive experiences. Moreover, museums need to adapt their communication methods to suit the current audience, which is diverse in terms of age, to rethink how the value of museums should be communicated. As museums are places where visitors see artifacts but also experience something, the concept of inclusivity and accessibility has gradually garnered much more attention. As they are not the same concepts, it is crucial to analyze them separately. Therefore, the article explores to what extent museums include the issue of inclusivity in their virtual content and the possibility of virtual assistance. Content analysis from official social media profiles and websites was conducted to realize the assumed aim. The study involves museums from two Polish voivodships. Data was collected between August and December 2023. The study revealed differences in how museums address their content and activities to people from different language backgrounds. Some institutions are oriented towards online assistance and language inclusivity, yet in the other, many areas need improvement. In further research, it would be valuable to include the perspectives of museum employees.