skip to main content
research-article

A visitor's guide in an active museum: Presentations, communications, and reflection

Published: 11 February 2011 Publication History

Abstract

Technology can play a crucial role in supporting museum visitors and enhancing their overall museum visit experiences. Visitors coming to a museum do not want to be overloaded with information, but to receive the relevant information, learn, and have an overall interesting experience. To serve this goal, a user-friendly and flexible system is needed. The design of such a system poses several challenges that need to be addressed in parallel. The user interface should be intuitive and let the visitors focus on the exhibits, not on the technology. Content and delivery must provide relevant information and at the same time allow visitors to get the level of detail and the perspectives in which they are interested. Personalization may play a key role in providing relevant information to individuals. Yet, since visitors tend to visit the museum in small groups, technology should also contribute to and facilitate during-the-visit communication or post-visit group interaction. The PIL project applied at the Hecht museum extended the research results of the PEACH project and tried to address all of these considerations. Evaluation involving users substantiated several aspects of the design.

References

[1]
Alfaro, I., Nardon, M., Pianesi, F., Stock, O., and Zancanaro, M. 2004. Using cinematic techniques on mobile devices for cultural tourism. Inform. Tech. Tourism 7, 2, 223--230.
[2]
Ardissono L., Goy, A., Petrone, G., Segnan, M., and Torasso, P. 2003. INTRIGUE: Personalized recommendation of tourist attractions for desktop and handset devices. Appl. Artif. Intell. 17, 8--9, 687--714.
[3]
Ardissono, L. and Petrelli, D. 2008. Preface to a special issue on personalizing cultural heritage exploration. User Model. User-Adapt. Interact. 18, 383--387.
[4]
Banos, H. 1995. Writing exhibition texts. In Text in the Exhibition Medium, Québec: Société des musées québécois and Musée de la civilisation, A. Blais, Ed., 205--228.
[5]
Baus, J., Cheverst, K., and Kray, C. 2005. A survey of map-based mobile guides. In Map-based Mobile Services -- Theories, Methods and Implementations, L. Meng, A. Zipf, and T. Reichenbacher, Eds. 197--213. Springer, Heidelberg.
[6]
Baus, J., Krüger, A., and Wahlster, W. 2002. A resource-adaptive mobile navigation system. In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (IUI), 15--22.
[7]
Bellotti, F., Berta, R., De Gloria, A., and Margarone, M. 2002. User testing a hypermedia tour guide. IEEE Pervasive Comput. 1, 2, 33--41.
[8]
Berkovsky, S. Gorfinkel, A., Kuflik, T., and Manevitz, L. 2006. Case-based to content-based user model mediation. In Proceedings of the Workshop on Ubiquitous User Modeling, (in conjunction with the 17th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence) (ECAI), 1--4.
[9]
Bohnert, F., Zukerman, I., Berkovsky, S., Baldwin, T., and Sonenberg, L. 2008. Using interest and transition models to predict visitor locations in museums. AI Commun. 21, 2--3, 195--202.
[10]
Bright, A., Kay, J., Ler, D., Ngo, K., Niu, W., and Nuguid, A. 2005. Adaptively recommending museum tours. In Proceedings of the Ubicomp Workshop Smart Environments and Their Applications to Cultural Heritage. http://smart.arces.unibo.it/pdf/04-Adaptively-Recommending_Bright.pdf.
[11]
Brooke, J. 1996. SUS: A ‘quick and dirty’ usability scale. In Usability Evaluation in Industry. W. Jordan, B. Thomas, B. A. Weerdmeester, and I. L. McClelland, Eds. Taylor and Francis, London, 189--194.
[12]
Busetta, P., Donà, A., and Nori, M. 2002. Channeled multicast for group communications. In Proceedings of the 1st International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems, 1280--1287.
[13]
Busetta, P., Merzi, M., Rossi, S., and Legras, F. 2003. Intra-role coordination using group communication: A preliminary report'. In Proceedings of the International Workshop on Agent Communication Languages and Conversation Policies, 231--253.
[14]
Callaway, C., Not, E, Novello, A., Rocchi, C., Stock, O., and Zancanaro M. 2005. Automatic cinematography and multilingual NLG for generating video documentaries. Artif. Intell. 165, 1, 57--89.
[15]
Cheverst, K., Davies, N., and Mitchell, K. 2002. The role of adaptive hypermedia within a context-aware tourist GUIDE. Comm. ACM, (Special Issue on adaptive Web-based Systems and Adaptive Hypermedia.) 45, 5, 47--51.
[16]
Costantini, S., Mostarda, L., Tocchio, A., and Tsintza., P. 2008 DALICA: Agent based ambient intelligence for cultural-heritage scenarios. IEEE Intell. Syst. 23, 2, 34--41.
[17]
Cox, R., O'Donnell, M., and Oberlander, J. 1999. Dynamic versus static hypermedia in museum education: An evaluation of ILEX, the intelligent labelling explorer, in Proceedings of the Artificial Intelligence in Education Conference.
[18]
Damiano, R., Gena, C., Lombardo, V., Nunnari, F., and Pizzo, A. 2008. A stroll with Carletto: Adaptation in drama-based tours with virtual characters. User Model. User-Adapt. Interact. 18, 417--453.
[19]
Davies, N., Cheverst, K., Mitchell, K., and Efrat, A. 2001. Using and determining location in a context-sensitive tour guide. Comput. 34, 8, 35--41.
[20]
Diaper, D., Ed. 1989. Task Analysis for Human-Computer Interaction. Ellis Horwood.
[21]
Dini, R., Paternò, F., and Santoro, C. 2007. An environment to support multi-user interaction and cooperation for improving museum visits through games. In Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Human Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services (MobileHCI), Vol. 309. ACM, New York, 515--521.
[22]
Economou, M. 1997. The evaluation of multimedia application for gallery interpretation: The Euesperides project in Oxford. In Museum Interactive Multimedia 1997: Cultural Heritage Systems, Design and Interfaces. D. Bearman and J. Trant, Eds. 218--226.
[23]
Falk, H. J. and Dierking, L. D. 1992. The Museum Experience. Whalesback Books, Washington.
[24]
Falk, H. J. and Dierking, L. D. 2000. Learning from Museums: Visitor Experience and the Making of Meaning. Rowman & Littlefield, New-York.
[25]
Falk, H. J. 2009. Identity and The Museum Visit Experience. Walnut Creek CA. Left Coast press.
[26]
Filippini-Fantoni, S. 2003. Personalization through IT in museums. Does it really work? The Case of the Marble Museum Website. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Hypermedia and Interactivity in Museums (ICHIM), an International Conference. Paris, Louver: Archives & Museums Informatics Tech. rep. 1--16.
[27]
Fleck, M., Frid, M., Kindberg, T., O'Brien-Strain, E., Rajani, R., and Spasojevic, M. 2002. From informing to remembering: Ubiquitous systems in interactive museums. Perv. Comput. 1, 2, 13--21.
[28]
Garzotto, F., Cinotti, T., and Pigozzi, M. 2003. Designing multi-channel web frameworks for cultural tourism applications: The MUSE case study. Selected Papers from Museums and the Web. Toronto Archives & Museums Informatics. Toronto.
[29]
Grasso, A., Koch, M., and Snowdon, D. 1998. Campiello—New user interface approaches for community networks. In Proceedings of the Workshop on Designing Across Borders: The Community Design of Community Networks (CSCW).
[30]
Gruen, D. 2002. Storyboarding for design: An overview of the process. Lotus res. http://domino.research.ibm.com/cambridge/research.nsf/0/ebcd159a81a43e36852569200067d59e/$FILE/Techreport%202000.03.PDF.
[31]
His, S. 2003 A study of user experiences mediated by nomadic web content in a museum. J. Comput. Assist. Learn. 19, 3, 308--319.
[32]
Jaén, J., Mocholí, J. A., Esteve, J. M., Bosch, V., and Canós, J. H. 2005. MoMo: Enabling social multimedia experiences in hybrid museums. International Workshop: Re-Thinking Technology in Museums: Towards a New Understanding of People's Experience in Museums. http://www.idc.ul.ie/museumworkshop/Papers/Jaen.pdf.
[33]
Kahanov, Y., Kashtan, N., Katz, S., Kuflik, T., Graziola, I., Rocchi, C., Stock, O., and Zancanaro, M. 2006. Preparing personalized multimedia presentation for a mobile museum visitors' guide: A Methodological Approach. In Proceedings of Museums and the Web.
[34]
Kirakowski, J. and Vereker, N. 1998. RESPECT: User-Centred Requirements Handbook. http://www.effin.org/Dokumenter/Framework/Respect.pdf.
[35]
Kray, C. and Baus, J. 2003. A survey of mobile guides. In Proceedings of the HCI in Mobile Guides Workshop at the Fifth International Symposium on Human Computer Interaction with Mobile Devices and Services.
[36]
Kuflik, T., Jbara, S., Soffer, P., and Stock, O. 2007. Context-aware communication services in “Active Museums”. Proceedings of Software Science Technology, and Engineering (SWESTE).
[37]
Leinhardt, G. and Knutson, K. 2004. Listening in on Museum Conversations. Alta Mira Press.
[38]
Lewis, C. and Rieman, J. 1995. Getting to know users and their tasks. In Readings in Human-Computer Interaction: Toward the Year 2000. R. M. Baecker, J. Grudin, W. A. S. Buxton, and S. Greenberg, Eds. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Inc., San Francisco.
[39]
Lim, M. Y., Aylett, R., and Jones, C. M. 2005. Affective guide with attitude. In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Affective Computing and Intelligent Interaction. 772--779.
[40]
Liu, H. 2007. Social network profiles as taste performances. J. Comput.-Mediat. Comm. 13, 1, article 13. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/liu.html.
[41]
Long, S., Kooper, R., Abowd, G. D., and Atkeson, C. G. 1999. Rapid prototyping of mobile context-aware applications: The Cyberguide case study. In Proceedings of 1st International Symposium on Handheld and Ubiquitous Computing, (HUC), 52--66.
[42]
Manning, A. and Sims, G. 2004. The Blanton iTour—An interactive handheld museum guide experiment. Museums and the Web 2004. www.archimuse.com/mw2004/papers/manning/manning.html
[43]
Not, E., Petrelli, D., Stock, O., Strapparava, C., and Zancanaro, M. 1997. Person-oriented guided visits in a physical museum. In Museums Interactive Multimedia 1997: Cultural Heritage Systems. Design and Interfaces. Selected Papers from (ICHIM), D. Bearman and J. Trant, Eds. Archives & Museum Informatics, Paris, 69--79.
[44]
Not, E., Petrelli, D., Sarini, M., Stock, O., Strapparava, C., and Zancanaro, M. 1998. Hypernavigation in the physical space: Adapting presentations to the user and to the situational context. New Rev. Hypermedia Multimedia J. 4, 33--45.
[45]
O'Grady, M. J. and O'Hare, G. M. P. 2004. Just-in-time multimedia distribution in a mobile computing environment. IEEE Multimedia, 11, 4, 62--74.
[46]
O'Hara, K., Kindberg, T., Glancy, M., Baptista, L., Sukumaran, B., Kahana, G., and Rowbotham, J. 2007. Collecting and sharing location-based content on mobile phones in a zoo visitor experience. Comput. Support. Coop. Work 16, 1--2, 11--44.
[47]
Oppermann, R. and Specht, M. 1999. A nomadic information system for adaptive exhibition guidance. In Cultural Heritage Informatics 1999: Selected Papers From ICHIM 99, D. Bearman and J. Trant, Eds. 103--110.
[48]
Petrelli, D. and Not, E. 2005. User-centred design of flexible hypermediafor a mobile guide: Reflections on the hyperaudio experience. User Model. User-Adapt. Interact. 15, 303--338.
[49]
Proctor, N. and Burton, J. 2004. Tate modern multimedia tour pilots. In Learning with Mobile Devices, (LSDA), J. Attewell and C. Savill-Smith, Eds. London, 127--130.
[50]
Rantonen, M., Oulosvirta, A., Blom, J., Titta, S., and Mäntylä, M. 2004. InfoRadan: Group and public messaging in the mobile context. In Proceedings of Nordic Forum For Human-Computer Interaction Research, 131--140. ACM Press.
[51]
Raptis, D., Tselios, N., and Avouris, N. 2005. Context-based design of mobile applications for museums: A surveyof existing practices. In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Human Computer Interaction with MobileDevices and Services, 153--160
[52]
Rocchi, C., Stock, O., Zancanaro, M., Pianesi, F., and Tomasini, D. 2009. Persuasion at the museum café: Initial evaluation of a tabletop display influencing group conversation. In Proceedings of the Symposium on Persuasive Technology and Digital Behaviour Intervention (in Conjunction with the AISB Convention).
[53]
Sarini, M. and Strapparava, C. 1998. Building a user model for a museum exploration and information-providing adaptive system. In Proceedings of the 2nd Workshop on Adaptive Hypertext and Hypermedia (HYPERTEXT).
[54]
Serrell, B. 1996. Exhibit Labels—An Interpretive Approach. Altamira Press, Walnut Creek.
[55]
Stock, O. and Callaway, C. 2009. Multiple coordinated mobile narratives as a catalyst for face-to-face group conversation. In Proceedings of 2nd International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling (ICIDS).
[56]
Stock, O. and Zancanaro, M., Eds. 2007. PEACH: Intelligent Interfaces for Museum Visits. Cognitive Technologies Series, Springer, Berlin.
[57]
Stock, O., Zancanaro, M., Busetta, P., Callaway, C., Krüger, A., Kruppa, M., Kuflik, T., Not, E., and Rocchi, C. 2007. Adaptive, intelligent presentation of information for the museum visitor in PEACH. User Modell. User-Adapt. Interact. 17, 3, 257--304.
[58]
Sung, Y., Chang, K., Hou, H., and Chen, P. 2010. Designing an electronic guidebook for learning engagement in a museum of history. Comput. Hum. Behav. 26, 1, 74--83.
[59]
Szymanski, M., H., Aoki, P., M., Grinter, R., E., Hurst, A., Thornton, J., D., and Woodruff, A. 2008. Sotto Voce: Facilitating social learning in a historic house. Comput. Support. Coop. Work 17, 5--34.
[60]
Wang, Y., Aroyo, L., Stash, N., Sambeek, R., Schuurmans Y., Schreiber, G., and Gorgels, P. 2009. Cultivating personalized museum tours online and on-site. J. Interdisciplinary Sci. Rev. 34, 2, 141--156.
[61]
Zancanaro, M., Kuflik, T., Boger, Z., Goren-Bar, D., and Goldwasser, D. 2007. Analyzing museum visitors' behavior patterns. In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference, on User Modeling (UM). 238--246.

Cited By

View all
  • (2025)Tell me more: integrating LLMs in a cultural heritage website for advanced information exploration supportInformation Technology & Tourism10.1007/s40558-025-00312-8Online publication date: 28-Jan-2025
  • (2024)Linger: Extending Museum Experiences to Post-Visit PhasesAdjunct Proceedings of the 2024 Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/3677045.3685436(1-5)Online publication date: 13-Oct-2024
  • (2024)Exploring the Cultural Heritage of a Territory through the Cinematography ProductionAdjunct Proceedings of the 32nd ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization10.1145/3631700.3664907(482-485)Online publication date: 27-Jun-2024
  • Show More Cited By

Recommendations

Comments

Information & Contributors

Information

Published In

cover image Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage
Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage   Volume 3, Issue 3
March 2011
127 pages
ISSN:1556-4673
EISSN:1556-4711
DOI:10.1145/1921614
Issue’s Table of Contents
Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

Publisher

Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 11 February 2011
Accepted: 01 August 2010
Revised: 01 March 2010
Received: 01 August 2009
Published in JOCCH Volume 3, Issue 3

Permissions

Request permissions for this article.

Check for updates

Qualifiers

  • Research-article
  • Research
  • Refereed

Funding Sources

  • FIRB

Contributors

Other Metrics

Bibliometrics & Citations

Bibliometrics

Article Metrics

  • Downloads (Last 12 months)122
  • Downloads (Last 6 weeks)16
Reflects downloads up to 01 Mar 2025

Other Metrics

Citations

Cited By

View all
  • (2025)Tell me more: integrating LLMs in a cultural heritage website for advanced information exploration supportInformation Technology & Tourism10.1007/s40558-025-00312-8Online publication date: 28-Jan-2025
  • (2024)Linger: Extending Museum Experiences to Post-Visit PhasesAdjunct Proceedings of the 2024 Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/3677045.3685436(1-5)Online publication date: 13-Oct-2024
  • (2024)Exploring the Cultural Heritage of a Territory through the Cinematography ProductionAdjunct Proceedings of the 32nd ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization10.1145/3631700.3664907(482-485)Online publication date: 27-Jun-2024
  • (2024)Point-of-Interest Recommender Systems: Nudging towards Sustainable TourismAdjunct Proceedings of the 32nd ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization10.1145/3631700.3664904(491-495)Online publication date: 27-Jun-2024
  • (2024)Deep Learning for Hand Gesture Recognition in Virtual Museum Using Wearable Vision SensorsIEEE Sensors Journal10.1109/JSEN.2024.335478424:6(8857-8869)Online publication date: 15-Mar-2024
  • (2024)IoT-Based Smart Indoor Navigation System with Voice Assistance for MuseumsCommunication and Intelligent Systems10.1007/978-981-97-2053-8_34(449-457)Online publication date: 21-Jun-2024
  • (2023)Usability of data-oriented user interfaces for cultural heritageJournal of Information Science10.1177/0165551521100178749:2(359-372)Online publication date: 1-Apr-2023
  • (2023)Effects of Presentation Modalities in Virtual Museum Guides on Agent Impressions and Painting Evaluations.Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Human-Agent Interaction10.1145/3623809.3623958(446-448)Online publication date: 4-Dec-2023
  • (2023)A Mobile App Supporting Field Trip Organization for Natural and Cultural Heritage ExplorationAdjunct Proceedings of the 31st ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization10.1145/3563359.3596669(355-362)Online publication date: 26-Jun-2023
  • (2023)The Sound of Paintings: Using Citizen Curation to Explore the Cross-Modal Personalization of Museum ExperiencesAdjunct Proceedings of the 31st ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization10.1145/3563359.3596662(408-418)Online publication date: 26-Jun-2023
  • Show More Cited By

View Options

Login options

Full Access

View options

PDF

View or Download as a PDF file.

PDF

eReader

View online with eReader.

eReader

Figures

Tables

Media

Share

Share

Share this Publication link

Share on social media