Abstract:

Museums, which play an important role in the transfer of cultural heritage, operate in online environments as well as in the real environment with digitalization. Especially considering the studies in the field of experiential marketing, the main theme of this study is the evaluation of websites, which are online and defined as virtual museums, in the context of design factors affecting museum visitor experience elements. In the study, which was conducted with a descriptive research model, after reviewing the literature on the virtual museum phenomenon and user/visitor experience concepts that we encounter on the websites of museums that are transforming under the influence of digitalization, the dimensions of experience and the dimensions of website design elements with high user satisfaction were examined through comparative content analysis. The analyzed virtual museums were evaluated by five researchers experienced in website analysis in five main categories: interactivity, adaptation/personalization, virtual museum design elements and aesthetics, security and privacy, and presentation of information, education and entertainment elements. A purposive sampling method was used in the study, and publicly operating virtual museum websites from Turkey and around the world were analyzed.

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