Mapping Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation in Museums

This study examines the development of research on artificial intelligence and digital transformation in museums, with particular attention to immersive experiences, visual analytics, and the digitization of museum exhibits. A bibliometric analysis combined with qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection for the period 2016-2026. The results show that the literature has evolved from isolated digital initiatives toward integrated systems that combine augmented reality, machine learning, and semantic data infrastructures to enhance visitor experience and support documentation and collection management. The analysis identifies three main thematic clusters: (1) immersive experiences and human-computer interaction in museums; (2) artificial intelligence and visual analytics for collections and visitors; and (3) gamification, sustainability, and the digital transformation of museum offerings. The findings indicate increasing scholarly interest in personalized systems, visitor behavior tracking, and data-driven museum services, while also highlighting persistent challenges related to organizational implementation and governance. The study contributes to a better understanding of the current research structure in this field and outlines future directions concerning the implementation of artificial intelligence and ethical museum governance.