Data Helps Museums Redefine the Visitor Journey
An Experiment in Visitor Measurement
Most young people lack an immersive artistic education, relying instead on occasional school trips or family museum outings. The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has launched a controlled experiment to change that—using data analytics to understand what visitors really need and how they move through galleries.
The Mechanism of Data-Driven Change
The mechanism behind this shift is a yearslong partnership between the Van Gogh Museum and academics from leading business schools. Teams analyze foot traffic, dwell times, and attention patterns inside the galleries.
The Final
Anchor in a Shift of Role
The broader direction is captured by Hilary Knight, director of Change& in London and former director of digital at Tate. Knight recalls that museums were once seen as “big ivory towers of knowledge and history and thought and art.” She explains that they are now becoming “centers for discussion and encounter” that are “much more participatory.”
Sources
2. Change&
3. Tate