On Friday, December 20th, 2024, Danshosha announced the "Museum Usage Trends 2024" conducted by IM, one of the largest museum information sites in Japan that it operates.
*The museums surveyed in this study refer to facilities such as art museums, art galleries, science museums, zoos, aquariums, and botanical gardens that have a "system of knowledge" and whose exhibition methods are primarily focused on "learning."
Survey Objective
Museums are being forced to change due to the recent rise in overseas shipping costs and materials and prices. While large-scale exhibitions that borrow many works from overseas are becoming less prominent, it seems that there are more exhibitions that are made up of domestic works, mainly from the museum's own collection.
Additionally, new styles of exhibitions are beginning to take hold, such as a series of immersive exhibitions that use high-definition Video to give visitors an immersive experience.
Looking at visitors, while some museums are attracting attention from foreign Tourism due to the increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan, there are also many museums that are struggling financially.
By conducting a comprehensive survey of museum usage trends among domestic museum enthusiasts, while also being conscious of the factors surrounding these museums, we aimed to be of some help to the museum industry in the future.
Survey results summary
93.9% of people research museums online before going there, so gathering information before taking action is commonplace. However, motivations differ by age group, with younger generations prioritizing "visual comprehension and efficiency," while older generations' main purpose is "learning and deepening their understanding." Online videos are also important as a motive for visiting museums.
All survey results can be found below.
Survey results page: https://www.museum.or.jp/static/museumfanresearch2024
1) Regarding information gathering online before visiting the museum
-If you find an exhibition or museum that interests you, do you research it in detail online before going?
· Same, by age group
-Same, by frequency of visiting museums
[Explanation]
When asked whether they research exhibitions or museums that interest them online before visiting, 63.4% answered "I always research," while 30.5% answered "I sometimes research." This shows that 93.9% of people check information online in some way before visiting a museum.
Although some differences can be seen when analyzing by age group and frequency of visits, the combined percentage of people who "always look it up" and "occasionally look it up" is over 90% in all groups. It is clear that the flow of "searching the internet and then visiting a museum" has become the norm for all age groups, from young people to older people, and from heavy users to beginners.
2) Why do people research museums online before visiting them?
・Why do you research in detail on the Internet? (All)
· Same, by age group
[Explanation]
・ The younger generation is motivated by the fact that "the image of the exhibits is easy to understand visually" and "I want to judge in advance whether the content is of interest to me." This is likely because they are very conscious of time performance and tend to value efficiency and perceive things visually.
・ Older generations are often motivated by the following reasons: "If I research the artists and works in advance, I can enjoy the exhibition more deeply," and "It's difficult to understand the contents of the exhibition just from the exhibition name and flyer." They research museums in advance to enjoy them more deeply as a place of cultural enjoyment and learning, rather than simply entertainment.
- Because the motivations for searching for information online vary depending on age group, museums need to devise ways to provide information that suits their target audience.
3) Relationship between online video viewing and museum visits
・Have you ever seen a video online and thought about going to an exhibition or museum? (All participants)
· Same, by age group
[Explanation]
When asked if an online video had inspired them to visit a museum, 58.4% of respondents answered "yes," making it clear that online videos are what lead people to visit museums.
・When broken down by age group, the percentage of people who answered "yes" was high among those in their 50s and 60s, at 62.39% and 61.73%, respectively. This shows that online videos are influencing museum visits not only among the younger generation, for whom watching online videos is a part of daily life, but also among older generations.
[Overall commentary]
This year saw the holding of several large-scale exhibitions that garnered attention, and long queues were seen in front of museums, once again demonstrating the high expectations that many people have of museums. On the other hand, it is also true that museums are no longer the leisure destination they once were, as admission fees and catalog prices have risen. For this reason, visitors may be increasingly researching museums online in advance and gathering a certain amount of information before visiting them. It can be said that museums also need to accurately grasp the needs of visitors and disseminate information more effectively.
■ Commentator: Mikio Furukawa (Editor-in-Chief of IM/Tanseisha Business Development Headquarters)
Born in Ehime Prefecture in 1966. Joined TANSEISHA Co., Ltd. in 1990. Engaged in spatial design and the launch and operation of owned media at the Head Office Design Center and JDN Co., Ltd. Has been in current position since 2011. Continues to cover approximately 200 museums a year.
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<Survey Overview>
Survey period: 2024/11/27-2024/12/10
Survey target: IM members
Number of valid responses: 1,056
Survey method: Online survey
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■ What is "IM"?
IM is one of Japan's largest museum information websites, named after the initials "I" and "M" of INTERNET MUSEUM, and is operated under the concept of "Life with Museum." In addition to introducing information on museum facilities, special exhibitions, and events, the site offers a wide range of content, including original interview reports, information on curator recruitment, and exhibition ticket giveaways, making it popular with museum fans all over the country. In addition, we also handle a wide range of promotions and surveys to support public relations for museums.
Please note that this may be subject to change without prior notice.