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The Display Makes a Difference: A Mobile Eye Tracking Study on the Perception of Art Before and After a Museum's
Luise Reitstätter, Hanna Brinkmann, Thiago Santini1
1Department of Computer Science, University of Tübingen, Germany.
Journal of Eye Movement Research
|April 8, 2021
Summary
Art display arrangement significantly impacts visitor engagement and viewing duration. New presentations increased artwork viewing and label reading times, deepening visitor connection with art.
Area of Science:
- Art perception and audience engagement
- Museum studies and exhibition design
- Human-computer interaction in cultural heritage
Background:
- The presentation of art influences how it is perceived by viewers.
- Previous studies often lacked realistic display conditions or large participant numbers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of a museum's permanent collection rearrangement on visitor viewing behavior.
- To compare viewing patterns under realistic, unconstrained display conditions.
- To relate gaze patterns to visitors' meaning-making processes.
Main Methods:
- Employed a mixed-method approach combining mobile eye tracking (MET), subjective mapping, and questionnaires.
- Collected data from a large sample of 259 regular museum visitors.
- Compared viewing behavior before and after the gallery's rearrangement.
Main Results:
- The new display arrangement generally increased artwork viewing times.
- Label reading times were significantly extended with the new presentation.
- Visitors demonstrated deepened engagement with artworks in their reflections.
Conclusions:
- Exhibition design and art presentation significantly affect visitor behavior and engagement.
- Specific art interests and preferences remain consistent regardless of display mode.
- This study provides insights into optimizing museum exhibition strategies.
