Enhancing Museum Experience for Visitors of all ages

Applying Design Thinking to create an exciting experience for visitors at the Canadian Museum of History.

The Challenge

How can we showcase the museum’s artifacts while creating a fun and engaging experience for visitors, particularly students?

The Approach

To solve this challenge, we applied a Human-centred, Design Thinking approach. First, we conducted research and empathy mapping to understand the needs of students aged 15 to 25. Based on insights gained, we ideated multiple solutions, created prototypes, and tested them with students and museum staff. The result was a set of innovative, interactive solutions that enhanced the museum experience, making it more engaging and educational.

Overview

The Canadian Museum of History is home to a vast collection of cultural artifacts, attracting over 1.2 million visitors annually. To remain relevant and engaging, especially for younger audiences, the museum sought to create a more personalized experience for students by providing them with interactive opportunities to explore its vault collections. In collaboration with the Human-Centered Design Lab (HCDL), the museum aimed to develop creative approaches to ensure that students learn and enjoy their visits memorably and excitingly.

Methodology

The methodology used a multi-phase human-centred design approach. The team began by researching students aged 15 to 25 through interviews and observations during museum visits to understand visitor behaviours and needs.

In the define phase, data analysis via empathy mapping shaped the core problem. The team brainstormed using “Crazy 8,” focusing on ideas with high potential and scalability.Problem statement: Post-secondary students need a way to connect with the museum because a successful experience would help build their identity.

Low-fidelity prototypes were then developed and iteratively tested with students and staff, allowing for refinement. Ethical considerations ensured proper data handling through Research and Ethics Board.

Metrics measured effectiveness, and scalability was built in. The result was a set of validated solutions to enhance visitor engagement and education.

Key Solutions

The project includes four key solutions an engaging board game for interactive learning, an immersive augmented reality experience for exploring historical eras, rotating exhibitions that highlight various themes while fostering community involvement, and a digitization initiative for making vault collections accessible online and through interactive kiosks.

After testing and iterating, the team refined their prototypes to create final, more impactful solutions:

Value Combat
The concept of Super Board evolved into this interactive virtual reality (VR) game, combining elements of a scavenger hunt, trivia, and a battle game, offering an exciting way for students to engage with the vault collections.

JourneX with Gamification
JourneX was further enhanced with a gamified approach, allowing users to explore museum artifacts through fun challenges, quizzes, and rewards, making the experience both educational and enjoyable.

By applying Design Thinking, the HCDL team successfully reimagined how the Canadian Museum of History could engage younger audiences. The final solutions offer students an interactive, immersive, and enjoyable museum experience, ensuring that they leave with not only a deeper understanding of history but also memorable, exciting interactions with the exhibits.