A Study on the Age-Friendly Factors of National and Public Museums in Seoul

To address the global phenomenon of population aging, the WHO has proposed guidelines for creating age-friendly cities aimed at improving the quality of life for senior citizens. Through this initiative, the organization aims to establish an urban environment system for all generations, including the elderly. Meanwhile, the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced a plan to create public cultural facilities that will create a local community culture that anyone can use. Accordingly, this study seeks to analyze public museums created in age-friendly cities from the perspective of the elderly. A checklist was developed based on evaluation criteria identified through a literature review with the keywords “Age-friendly” and “Museums.” An on-site survey was conducted on six case studies in Seoul, all of which have been operating specialized programs for the elderly since the 2020s. The analysis results are as follows : First, based on previous research, “Physical Elements (Spatial Structure, Public Facilities)” and “Sensory Elements (Guidance System, Exhibits)” were identified as evaluation criteria for national and public museums in response to age-friendly cities. Second, the physical element was most evident, with a spatial structure and public facilities designed to accommodate the movement methods and access routes of the elderly. Third, in terms of sensory elements, color and brightness differences were applied to accommodate the decline in visual function of the elderly; however, the adjustment of font size was insufficient. Accordingly, it is necessary to consider exhibition viewing support services, such as placing brochures such as the “Large Print Guide” at the entrance of the exhibition hall. Fourth, there is a need to create content that provides experiences through multisensory stimulation that are effective in preventing dementia and developing cognitive functions in the elderly.