Digital museums conquer all, even the over 60s

The use of new technologies in Italian museums plays an absolutely relevant role in visits and enriches the experience of the public, including the over 60s. But beware: effectiveness depends more on the quality of design and integration than on the type of tool itself, it is not so much a question of device but of how the technology is used.

This is confirmed by the survey "New technologies for heritage mediation" conducted by the National School of Cultural Heritage and Activities - which can be downloaded free of charge from the Dicolab. Culture to Digital, the digital skills training programme promoted by the Ministry of Culture - according to which "the integration of sensory stimulation, intuitive interaction and cultural reflection is believed to be the key to a complete and meaningful digital mediated cultural experience".

Technology is not distracting: it helps to understand and remember
The research involved 700 visitors and 126 operators, and covered 20 cultural venues, mainly in northern Italy, ranging from historical museums to art galleries, natural science museums and archaeological sites.
The researchers aimed to analyse the cognitive and emotional impact, and of course the effectiveness, of different tools such as VR visors, videomapping and interactive installations. The results reveal a high overall appreciation of the technologies and a strong propensity on the part of the public to use them to deepen content. The assessment tended to be favourable, with an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 for the 20 museums. Technology, in short, is not perceived as a 'distraction'.
Over 90 per cent of those surveyed assigned technology a relevant role in understanding, and said that the experience enriched their visit. 83.57% of the sample explain that they felt motivated to explore the museum more deeply, and the percentage of correct answers obtained in the post-visit quiz, with an overall average of 78%, seems to confirm this.
In spite of the fact that young people are usually considered to be more inclined towards technology, the 'learning performance' recorded by the research was homogeneous, with the over 60 recording the highest levels of correct answers (80.79%) and showing very positive results in the use of interactive installations and micromapping (the projection of images or animations onto small objects, sculptures, models or architectural details).
Virtual reality on the whole generates a strong emotional involvement, appreciated by a very diverse audience, including the elderly. The most effective technologies are micromapping and immersive multi-projection, VR visors, video walls and gaming activities. While the technological devices considered more 'traditional', such as touchscreens, webapps and touch plastics, are less appreciated.

Designing the experience, not the special effect
The analysis also shows that, while requiring high and variable initial investments (on average 134,000 euro), the annual running costs of new technologies are generally quite low (200 to 25,000 euro, about 4.6% of the investment). Economic sustainability therefore depends on good planning and a balance between technology adopted and maintenance costs.
47% say they are willing to pay an extra price to enjoy digital experiences. These data open interesting scenarios for monetisation of cultural experiences, provided it is carefully calibrated. Willingness to pay is in fact correlated to the quality of the experience, usability and the narrative capacity of the technology.
The research highlighted several challenges and led to a number of operational recommendations, such as regularly updating content and training staff on the necessary software, making instructions clearer and simplifying processes, increasing interactivity through gamification elements or immersive experiences such as augmented reality. Dedicated staff to support visitors in the use of technology is also recommended. In designing immersive experiences, it is also crucial to strike a balance between the playful dimension and educational objectives.

The Dicolab training courses. Culture to Digital
The introduction of digital technologies in museums also entails some operational challenges. Among the main ones are the difficulty of finding adequate in-house expertise, dependence on external suppliers for maintenance and updates, and the need to manage increasingly rapid technological life cycles. These are compounded by practical issues, such as connectivity or environmental conditions that may affect the operation of devices.
To address these complexities, it is useful to plan long-term strategies that include training staff, adopting scalable and interoperable solutions, and establishing regular upgrade plans.
Dicolab - Culture al Digitale offers training courses designed precisely to strengthen the skills necessary for the management and exploitation of technologies in cultural venues. The course catalogue is available here.
The courses that are most relevant to the needs that have emerged include those dedicated to digitalisation and heritage management, designing accessible and inclusive experiences, and strategies for audience engagement through digital.
Investing in these skills is not only a response to critical issues, but a step towards a more conscious and sustainable management of technological innovation in the cultural sector.