Museum Planning
2 min readAug 13, 2023

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The Future of Museums: Bridging the Digital Divide

Image of museum interactive immersive space, with projection on walls and floors and interactive exhibits
Image of Interactive Museum Immersive Environment created with DreamStudio AI

Free Download: How-To Guide for Museum Directors: Transitioning to Digital with Strategic Planning & Immersive Experiences

Museums stand at a crucial crossroads, evolution or obsolescence. As artificial intelligence, real-time experiences, and immersive interactions become commonplace, it is clear that the days of static displays and basic wall graphics are behind us. Museums must recalibrate to continue to connect with digitally-versed audiences.

The Digital Metamorphosis of Museums
Museums are undergoing a paradigm shift. Millennials and Gen Z, products of a world saturated with smartphones, virtual reality, and immediate access to information, expect more than passive observation. Their connection with history, science, or art content is dynamic and engaging. Meeting these evolving expectations necessitates a fresh, innovative approach to museum planning, design, and curation. In a word, the future lies in interactivity, personalization, and immersion.

Immersion: A New Dimension in Experience
Today’s museum-goers don’t simply want to observe; they want to participate and connect. Personalized immersion and co-creation provide this connectivity, turning one-way presentations into interactive dialogues. Museums are no longer warehouses of the past but, evolving centers of learning and the future. Museums must…

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Museum Planning

Mark Walhimer is the managing partner of Museum Planning, LLC, and the author of Museums 101 (2015) and Designing Museum Experiences (2021).