An Online Service Encouraging Museum Visitors to Learn Related Research Fields

Abstract

In recent years, museums, such as zoos and science museums, have provided many learning programs and considerable information on exhibited items and animals. Despite enhancing visitors’ interest in the related research fields through the exhibitions, it is difficult to lead visitors to learn about related research fields more deeply after their visit. Meanwhile, much of the learning content in the related fields is provided online through various platforms, such as MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). In this research, we discuss our design and the development of an online service “Gateway to Field,” which encourage museum visitors to learn existing online learning content through the gateway provided by the exhibited items and animals. Specifically, visitors record their interest in specific items and animals with their mobile devices and the learning content of related research fields will then be recommended automatically to them.