Exploring the visitors’ perceptions and experiences of museums

In order to increase visitor numbers and survive in the long run, today’s museums need to understand their visiting publics including cultural tourists. Therefore, this chapter aims to understand various publics, their perceptions and experiences of museums by conducting a qualitative research. The study sample was selected from among the visitors of two main museums in Genoa, Italy. Face-to face interviews were conducted to gather data on the definition of a museum by the visitors. The analyses of 372 usable responses revealed seven core elements of museum visitor experiences which included experiences that provide historical and/ or cultural reminisce and awareness, learning and self-development, exposure to tangible evidences, sensory stimulation, wonder and discovery, entertainment and socializing. Implications are discussed relative to marketing strategies.