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The Great American Field Trip Goes Digital: How Museums Can Leverage Digital Tech
September 8, 2022

Every single year, museums host thousands of children—or more—each school year and during vacations. Today’s younger generations are constantly focused on their phones, even when they are surrounded by in-person experiences. Fortunately, you can take what you know about their interests and recapture their attention using digital engagement before, during, and after visits. Let’s explore how you can keep them engaged and learning!

1. You’re Gearing Up for In-Person Visits—Use Digital Experiences to Support and Extend Each Visit

Digital experiences are quickly becoming the new standard. Festivals, movies, and even video games often have digital companions that offer more insights. In 2020, museum directors reported that their operating performance dropped by roughly 38% [1]. These effects carried on well after the pandemic, making the need to make in-person visits more enticing very important.

Digital experiences can bring more to your exhibits, keeping your visitors engaged so they spend more time with you when they drop by. Digital twins have reportedly shown a 68% increase in customer engagement for organizations that use them [2].

2. Sustainable Practices Require the Right Technology

More organizations are turning to digital solutions to support them in their business sustainability efforts. Proceeds from digital offerings can fund learning opportunities, exhibits, and physical infrastructure, creating sustainable programs for both children and adults, and supporting the costs of your on-ground operations.

With SaaS solutions, you can create digital offerings that change in real-time, offering new and relevant information and experiences. This means you can take your exhibits farther without any need for extensive transportation or the use of additional physical resources to build exhibits. Current reports estimate that 85% of all business apps will be SaaS-based by 2025 because of their convenient and adaptive nature [3].

3. The Answer: A Branded Platform That Continuously Engages

Digital is the future, and there is no going back. Roughly one-third of key decision-makers are millennials and Gen-Z, with both groups being primarily digital natives, meaning individuals who have been around modern technology for their entire lives [4]. They expect digital experiences everywhere they go—even the museum.

Research shows that Gen-Z spends more than 8 hours a day online—they’re steeped in digital experiences [5], and your museum can deliver a high-quality, thought-provoking one, that builds their understanding of the world. You are competing for their attention with sites that are “sticky,” selling ads to drive revenue. So it’s important to use competitive tools!

The Takeaway

Museums provide information that teaches us about our past, present, and future, so it only makes sense for these establishments to adapt to the times. Digital experiences are immersive experiences and can help your museum to capture the interest of visitors from near and far.

To learn more about how museums can enhance their visitor experience with a customized and interactive digital learning platform, read more about our collaboration with Conner Prairie. Amesite is your trusted partner in creating branded systems that support purchases, subscriptions, and out-of-the-box programs that patrons love!

[1] https://www.aam-us.org/2022/02/08/museum-field-experiencing-compounding-financial-losses-new-survey-reveals/?utm_source=American+Alliance+of+Museums&utm_campaign=e6ef2001a6-Aviso_Feb08_2022&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f06e575db6-e6ef2001a6-59790421

[2] https://venturebeat.com/ai/capgemini-finds-gap-between-digital-twin-potential-and-actuality/

[3] https://pages.bettercloud.com/rs/719-KZY-706/images/2020_StateofSaaSOpsReport.pdf?mkt_tok=NzE5LUtaWS03MDYAAAF8LQdmoC7u54xbqxNwp0au4Zk7SiYaaqq2vupXFxCvaP5vY8gSQtlGFsUsRI8oj5Fl2m5PwIZUUAlzVZL_-hUEQ2RdNqgEzDAmZA5bZtowS_v-zMs

[4] https://hbr.org/2018/03/how-digital-natives-are-changing-b2b-purchasing

[5] https://thrivemyway.com/gen-z-marketing-stats/

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