Moving Beyond Visitor and Usability Studies: Co-designing Inclusion in Museums and Galleries

Museums and galleries have made efforts to be more inclusive over the last ten years, primarily through the emphasis on visitor studies, however they continue to have issues with making their environments and content acces- sible. This research addresses these issues and presents an alternative approach to creating inclusion in museum and galleries through co-design. By using co- design methods to actively engage people with differing abilities, this study cre- ates new trajectories for inclusion that address the full spectrum of need and choice, for all users of the museum and gallery. Moving beyond visitor studies, the research presents new methods and strategies for museums and galleries when designing for inclusion. This paper presents key findings from case study research undertaken through the Vis-ability exhibition in Australia, to propose alternative ways of creating inclusion in museums and galleries, and how co- design can deepen our understanding of design for all

Museum atmospherics: The role of the exhibition environment in the visitor experience

This review presents atmospherics as a potential model for studying the interplay between visitors and the exhibition environment in informal learning settings such as museums. Atmospherics posits that the environment influences affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses, and that these responses can be shaped by design cues in the environment (Kotler, 1974). Atmospherics and the related model of the servicescape have informed research in a variety of retail, leisure, and entertainment settings (Chang & Horng, 2010; Turley & Milliman, 2000). Applying the atmospherics model to the museum environment has considerable potential for extending our understanding of the role that the exhibition environment plays in the museum visitor experience, and informing the design of informal learning settings