Revisiting the museum experience

Purpose : This paper aims to contribute to the area of museum experience research, by exploring how consumers build stories to tell different experiences generated from a visit to a museum and by viewing these inductive findings in the light of recent research on consumption experiences (Lanier and Rader, 2015). Design/methodology/approach : A qualitative study is conducted. Twenty-three narratives were analysed relating a visit to ZKM museum in Karlsruhe (Germany) using narrative analysis techniques, as they are suitable to capture sensations, emotions and feelings. Findings : ZKM museum emerges from the analysis of the narratives as a cradle for stochastic experiences (Lanier and Rader, 2015). The narratives develop several episodes that correspond to performance and liberatory experiences. A reconceptualization of the museal experience is proposed as a mesh of performance, stochastic or liberatory episodes, that capture the subject's perspective. Research limitations/implications : The study was limited to students who were 19-23 years of age and to one museum. Future research should include a wider age group and other museums. Practical implications : The findings provide useful insights for curators, educators and exhibit designers staging museal experiences.