What facilitates or constrains co-creation in museums? The case of people with visual impairments

Abstract

The awareness that museums must be inclusive and participatory led to practices adapted to visitors’ requirements and co-creative experiences, encouraging interaction with exhibitions, and thus fostering memorable experiences. Yet, constraints remain for people with disabilities, reducing their satisfaction and desire to return. Despite the high number of people with visual impairments worldwide, there is a lack of research on factors that may impact their co-creation in museums. This paper aims to identify factors influencing the co-creation of people with visual impairments experiences in museums, either facilitating or constraining it. Based on focus groups discussion, the results of the study conducted suggest that the co-creation of people with visual impairments in museums is influenced both by aspects related to visitors, as well as by disabling features of the museums’ physical, communicational, and attitudinal environments. Conclusions and implications drawn are critical to improve the experience of people with visual impairments in museums.

Points of interest

• This article highlights that despite the high number of people with visual impairments worldwide, many still face constraints when visiting museums.

• The article reveals that several museums offer opportunities for interacting with the whole museum environment and co-creating value, to trigger memorable experiences.

• This paper fills a research gap by analysing how a set of factors influence people with visual impairments to get involved in co-creation in museums, either facilitating or constraining it.

• The research found that the factors that influence co-creation of experiences of people with visual impairments in museums can be related to the visitors or to the museums, including physical, communicational and attitudinal aspects.

• The article provides guidelines to improve the co-creation in museums of people with visual impairments.

Keywords:

• Museums
• people with disabilities
• people with visual impairments
• co-creation experience
• constraints
• tourism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.