Research on the edutainment experience and learning of generation Z in multisensory museums: An integrated framework...

Museums function as pivotal institutions for social education, operating as unique informal learning environments. Although museum learning has attracted considerable research attention, previous studies have yielded inconsistent results on how multisensory combinations affect cognitive load and learning outcomes, as the internal mechanisms governing these relationships remain unclear and lack an integrated framework for empirical verification. Grounded in the Stimuli-Organism-Behavior-Consequence (SOBC) and Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) frameworks, this study examines how multisensory design influences the edutainment experience and learning outcomes of Generation Z visitors. Employing an experimental approach, the results demonstrate that, compared to visual stimuli, audiovisual presentations significantly enhance visitors' subjective learning outcomes; this effect is more pronounced when supplemented with haptic cues. The findings reveal that these effects are explained through a chained mediating mechanism involving cognitive load and the edutainment experience. By uncovering the underlying mechanism, this study provides empirical evidence for optimizing multisensory exhibition design to better engage Generation Z visitors.