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In the last decade, digital technology has profoundly changed the approach to culture (Traboulsi et al., 2018), particularly visitor experiences in museums (Soren, 2005). Many museums have seized the opportunities offered by the digital revolution and have added technologies to modernize their institutions (Bertacchini & Morando, 2013; Klavans et al., 2014; Navarro et al., 2017).
This recent phenomenon has tended to occur with the particular focus of attracting new and younger audiences to cultural venues (Hung et al., 2013). The museum attendance rate among visitors under the age of thirty has been declining for several years, so it has become essential for museums to rethink the experience of their visitors and to integrate interactive and immersive technologies (Camarero et al., 2019; Vu et al., 2018; Peacock & Brownbill, 2007; Varvin et al., 2014).
Emerging technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) offer museums unprecedented potential to attract, convince, and retain consumers by offering immersion, interaction, and personalization (Jarrier & Bourgeon-Renault, 2012; Ercan, 2020). VR involves the computerized creation of virtual universes in which individuals can interact, typically through the use of VR controls and headphones (Steuer, 1992). AR aims to enhance the experience of reality by superimposing virtual elements over a realistic view, thereby offering users the opportunity to immerse themselves in an augmented scene (Javornik, 2016). This integration of digital technologies in museums means more personalization of the exhibition’s path and proposal of new interactions (Tobelem, 2004).
This research’s aim is twofold: firstly, to investigate how immersive technologies are efficiently used and what are the drivers of their adoption in museums, and secondly, to identify and analyze museums specificities in order to develop successful and integrated immersive experiences for visitors, advancing the research on the relation between technology and humans. By doing so, this paper contributes to reflections on museology by focusing on technological transformation in museums, as suggested by Guiragossian (2020). We take here a visitor-oriented approach (Vergo, 1989; Corona, 2020; Sigfúsdóttir, 2020) as we look at the role of technology on visitor experiences.
Results will offer a better understanding of emerging technologies adoption and use in museums for professionals and academics, especially about immersive technologies in a visitor’s experience. This research wishes to answer the following research question: What are the antecedents of VR and AR adoption in the context of museums’ drive to improve visitors’ experience? A sub-research question will also ask: What are the roles of in-museum interactivity mechanisms and smart retailing on these antecedents?
The subsequent sections describe the new technologies of VR and AR in general and their application in the context of museums and provide a quick overview of technology adoption models. We also introduce the smart retailing concept and the digital transformation in museums to develop our conceptual model. Our findings show that (1) museums should reconsider their in-house visitor’s experience, (2) in-museum interactivity mechanisms and smart retailing significantly influence adoption and intention to use such technologies, and (3) gender and age must be considered. Finally, contributions and limitations are detailed.