Exploring Emotional and Cognitive Engagement with Holographic Displays in Museums

Emotional engagement with exhibits and artefacts enhances learning by anchoring memories more vividly and improving information retention. However, achieving this level of engagement requires museums to thoughtfully design their displays and narratives to truly resonate with their audience. This study explores the emotional engagement elicited by displaying holograms in museum settings, offering a comprehensive analysis of visitors’ emotional responses and the technological features that influence them. A series of structured interviews were conducted to explore the experiences of diverse participants with holographic exhibits. These interviews involved 16 professionals, including museum experts, designers and cultural heritage practitioners, to gain in-depth insights into their perspectives on holographic displays. The study uncovered various emotional responses, with ‘curiosity’ and ‘wonder’ emerging as predominant sentiments. This indicates that holographic displays have the capacity to significantly enhance visitors’ engagement and learning experiences. The key technological aspects of holography, including three-dimensionality, display method and the lifelike representation, were found crucial in eliciting strong emotional responses and deepening understanding of the content of exhibit. This research highlights the importance of understanding and catering to visitors’ emotional and experiential needs in the evolving landscape of museum exhibit design, and the long-term impact of these experiences, suggesting that the display of holograms can leave a lasting impression and foster sustained interest in museum visits.