The Lumad Mindanao Exhibition and the Visitors’ Experience

Abstract

The study documents and analyzes the exhibition design aspects of space, lighting, labeling, and object positioning of the ethnographic exhibition Lumad Mindanao in order to determine their contribution to the museum experience from the perspective of the visitors. The study is guided by the marketing concept of atmospherics (Kotler, 1973). In this case, the exhibition design aspects, along with the content and the visitors, act as the stimulation that elicits a corresponding response to the audience/visitors. In order to contextualize their contribution to the experience, the exhibition design aspects are assigned as either “attention-creating medium”, “message-creating medium”, or “affect-creating medium.” The responses are analyzed from accomplished survey questionnaires of 22 sample visitors, supported by interviews and further research. The study found that the overall museum experience was perceived to be satisfactory. This was based on the given ratings/responses on the stimulation. The study also found that because of the good museum experience, the visitors are expected to return to the Lumad exhibition and recommend it to other people. The best ways in designing exhibitions and in enriching the quality of visitor experience, especially for ethnographic exhibitions were identified from the visitors’ responses on the specific design aspects.