Before the vast majority of the world’s museums and attractions were forced to temporarily close due the COVID-19 pandemic, visiting a museum was often a very social experience, involving various person-to-person interactions. From exchanges at the admissions and membership desks, interactions with fellow patrons, and special experiences involving touch screens or hands-on activities, moving through a museum previously put guests in close contact with shared devices as well as other visitors and staff.
Now, as we enter an era of social distancing, institutions are rethinking various aspects of the museum experience. New statewide regulations on sharing materials such as maps and traditional audio guides are affecting the traditional standards in which museums will operate in the upcoming months and years. As the shift to a “contactless” approach emerges, institutions are looking at ways to leverage technology to continue to bring modern conveniences and a safe experience to their visitors.
Read on to learn best practices for creating a museum, library, zoo, or aquarium experience that reduces the number of physical touch-points as you prepare to reopen your organization:
Adopting a Contactless Ticketing and Payment System
As museums and cultural attractions continue to move ahead with reopening plans, limiting the amount of contact between staff and visitors is a top priority. Some institutions are shifting to an online reserve-ahead ticketing system as a means to reducing on-site contact. Others are also enacting timed-ticketing to help control crowd flow and abide by the 25% capacity regulations currently in place in many states. The Cleveland Museum of Art and the World War II Museum are among many museums that plan on implementing timed ticketing upon reopening.
Virtual Queues & Waitlists
Virtual queues, which are popular among restaurants and theme parks, are also a tool worth exploring to limit large crowds waiting for specific exhibitions or galleries. Virtual queues offer visitors the ability to digitally check-in and digitally wait in line for an attraction without having to physically stand in a large group of people.
Contactless Payment
As many state regulations encourage the use of contactless payment, it is essential to consider offering this amenity to your visitors. Many museums are turning to POS systems that support Apple Pay and Google Pay, which are easy to set up and provide another level of protection to your staff and visitors. This is the direction the world is moving in – new data published by American Express predicts a significant increase in contactless payments for in-store, online, or app-based purchases, as a result of increasing health concerns.
Digital Membership Cards & Tickets
To eliminate the risk related to physically interacting with physical cards, many organizations are likewise turning to Cuseum Digital Membership cards to adhere to the contactless transaction stipulations recommended by state officials. Digital Membership cards offer institutions an easy and contactless method to distribute and engage with cards. They also give members the ability to enter your institution without having to exchange any physical materials with staff members. Digital Membership cards can also be used as a streamlined tool to update expiration dates, encourage renewals and gift shop purchases, and update members with crucial information regarding new safety regulations in your institution.
Related Content: How Museums Are Leveraging Digital Membership During COVID-19
Offering a Mobile “Digital Docent” and Resource Guide
Upon reopening, European museums have already faced restrictions on shared audio tour devices, and many are expecting the United States to follow suit. Museums are now experimenting with personal devices to continue to provide curated tours to visitors. One avenue worth exploring is a Mobile Engagement App. A mobile solution offers visitors the opportunity to continue curated tours in the language they desire and gives guests the peace of mind that their listening device, which is often held close to their face, has not been handled by anyone else. As forecasted by MuseumNext, expect "a move towards 'bring your own device' experiences."
A Mobile Guide also provides museums with the opportunity to limit crowds from congregating in one place by providing an outlet to display any object labels or other materials concerning the piece the visitor is viewing. According to a recently published article in the Wall Street Journal, some museums are “removing wall labels so visitors don’t cluster around them insteading directing people to a mobile app.” The tours can be enhanced by any relevant historical video, image, or text, allowing your visitor to have an engaging opportunity to learn more while practicing social distancing. The mobile solution also offers visitors a chance to make a contactless donation or sign-up for membership without the unnecessary risk of needing to interact with staff.
As we look towards the future of contactless tools, mobile indoor wayfinding is a technology that has enormous potential in the cultural space. The use of wayfinding technology can allow visitors to easily navigate through the halls of their favorite institution with helpful cues and step-by-step directions. Smart and dynamic wayfinding can encourage social distancing by directing visitors to routes throughout the museum that are less crowded spaces. Indoor maps and mobile wayfinding can also act as a guide to lead visitors to key points of interest, such as handwashing stations and help desks.
Related Content: How Museums Are Leveraging Their Mobile App During Coronavirus
Reimagine Tactile Experiences
According to research on Which Cultural Entities Will People Return to After Reopening, museums that have a particularly tactile experience are at an increased risk of visitors being fearful of returning to their institutions. To adjust to the "new normal," children’s and science museums are going to have to adapt to how they offer hands-on experiences to visitors. The California Science Center is one such institution that has been forced to reconsider how it provides hands-on experiences. Its Lego-themed show, "The Art of the Brick," encouraged visitors to build their own structures. In an attempt to limit the person-to-person contact, the museum is cordoning off the hands-on portions of the Lego exhibit and plans to offer free take-home activity kits instead.
As museums look to transition to a hands-off approach, exploring frictionless body and gesture detection technologies is one way that museums can still provide visitors with an opportunity to create using their hands. The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience is using body and gesture technology to provide visitors with an opportunity to mold pottery in the style of famous potters virtually. The technology allows users to hover their hands over a piece of virtual clay, and it intuitively reacts as users pat, pull and pinch the clay into a piece of virtual pottery.
Looking to the Future of a Contactless Experience
As we speak, companies, retailers, and hospitality leaders like Amazon, Starbucks, and Hilton Hotels are already making strides to implement innovative new contactless technologies to facilitate a safe and seamless customer experience. For example, Amazon Go stores offer a check-out free shopping experience, Starbucks is using its digital mobile ordering system to limit in-person transactions, and the hotel and airline industries are providing touchless self-check in kiosks.
To evolve with the ever-changing landscape, museums should continue to learn from and adopt strategies from peer organizations as well as other sectors. As museums plan for reopening, looking towards new innovative practices, approaches, and business models may help provide organizations with fresh ideas, inspiration, and blueprints for rethinking their own customer experience. With many options and countless new technologies currently being developed to help overcome the challenges caused by COVID-19, the need to be agile and resourceful with technology has never been more important.
As we move into the new frontier of providing engaging experiences while practicing social distancing, we must consider new approaches to continue to serve and educate the public in a safe environment. The "new normal" is full of challenges, but these new obstacles provide an opportunity for innovation that will serve the cultural space for years to come.
Looking for more information? Check out our coronavirus resources page.
Further Reading:
How Might Museums Look Different When They Reopen After Coronavirus?
Post-Pandemic, Which Cultural Entity Types Are People More Likely To Revisit?
Preparing to Reopen: Strategy, Planning & Process on the Road to Reopening Museums
Membership Mondays: Planning for Reopening After Coronavirus
How Museums Are Leveraging Their Mobile Apps During COVID-19
How Museums Are Leveraging Digital Membership During Coronavirus