Introduction
Museum attendance has dropped substantially in recent years. Some museums are seeking to increase interest and engagement by creating experiences in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). Nevertheless, very few studies have investigated their neurophysiological and behavioral effects on visitors.
Purpose
This study examines whether implementing AR/VR museum experiences enhances visitors' neurophysiological immersion and, in turn, fosters deeper engagement with art and a greater propensity to donate within the cultural sector.
Method
Fifty participants were randomly assigned to either a control group (n=25), which took a traditional museum tour, or an experimental group, which experienced a museum visit enriched with AR and VR content. The VR content consisted of two 360° environments on Meta Quest 3, while the five AR experiences consisted of informational videos that could be activated via tablet by scanning markers. Both groups visited a museum in Milan. Neurologic immersion, measured using a wearable device connected to Immersion Neuroscience software, captured the value the brain derived from the experience. Pre and post-visit questionnaires measured visitors' attitude toward donating and their engagement with art.
Results
The experimental group had 42% higher peak immersion (M=0.54, SD=0.03) than the control group (M=0.38, SD=0.07; p< .001). This result was robust to covariates for age and gender, which, however, did not differ between the two groups. A mediation model indicated a significant indirect effect of peak immersion on the attitude to donate money (β=0.148, p= .033), which was mediated by behavioral engagement with art.
Conclusions
The analysis shows that AR/VR technology may offer greater neurological immersion value than traditional museum visits. This indirectly affects the attitude to donate through increased behavioral engagement with art. The results support the use of AR and VR content in museum contexts to promote cultural participation and prosocial donation behaviors.