Examining Visitor Experience in Terms of Various Variables: A Study in the Van (Urartian) Museum

Abstract

The importance of museum visits, which is a type of cultural tourism, is increasing due to the micro and macro contributions it provides to the country's economy. The level of positive experience that visitors get from museum visits is important in terms of destination attractiveness. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of socio-demographic factors on visitors' museum experiences. In this context, the effects of gender, age, education, marital status, occupation and income on the museum experience were investigated. The museum experience is handled in seven dimensions: fun and escape, commitment, aesthetics, learning, interest, dignity and comfort, and socialization. The research was carried out with the data obtained from 411 visitors who visited the Van (Urartian) Museum. In the study, face-to-face survey technique, which is one of the data collection methods, was applied and the data were analyzed with the statistical package program (SPSS 25). As a result of the analysis, it is seen that the majority of museum visitors are between the ages of 18-30. The vast majority of visitors are undergraduate or associate degree graduates. When analyzed by occupation and income, it is seen that the majority of the visitors are teachers and middle-income. While museum visitors have the most positive experience in the aesthetic dimension, they have the least positive experience in the socialization dimension. A significant effect of gender, marital status and education level variables was not detected on any of the experience dimensions. In the entertainment and escape dimension, it has been determined that the visitors in the 31-45 age group have more positive experiences than the visitors in the 46 and over age group. In terms of dignity and comfort, it has been determined that: academicians have more positive experiences than students and those in other professional groups. In the conclusion part of the study, various suggestions were made based on the research findings.