Inclusive Smart Museums: Engaging Neurodiverse Audiences and Enhancing Cultural Heritage Through Technology

This book investigates the intersection of technology and heritage, focusing on the use of immersive techniques (digital storytelling, gamification, extended reality) to develop more inclusive and engaging experiences in museums and heritage sites for neurodiverse audiences. Through the four sections (Storytelling; Gamification; Immersive Technologies; Inclusivity and Environment), the authors discuss how storytelling techniques can support accessibility; explore the advantages of game-based learning and treasure hunts to engage and educate diverse audiences; examine the impact of immersive technologies; and investigate the use of sensory kits, social stories, sensory maps, and immersive storymaps to create accessible and inclusive heritage experiences.

With a unique focus on neurodivergent, this book seeks to elucidate the manner and extent to which cutting-edge technologies can support community building, offering an invaluable resource for museum administrators, curators, exhibition designers, and heritage professionals who are responsible for creating and maintaining inclusive and accessible cultural heritage spaces. It includes practical solutions and examples showcasing best practices and innovative techniques to engage neurodiverse audience effectively. Academics and researchers interested in the fields of cultural heritage, museum studies, accessibility, and emerging technologies will also find the book useful.

James Hutson is Lead XR Disruptor and Department Head of Art History and Visual Culture for the College of Arts and Humanitie at Lindenwood University, USA. He is an administrator, innovator and researcher in higher education, with a diverse range of subject-matter expertise in research, emerging technology, inclusivity, and accessibility. He actively researches the potential educational and social benefits of emerging technologies, such as immersive realities and gamification of education, and has used his expertise to explore new avenues for making cultural heritage accessible to all individuals.

Piper Hutson is Corporate Art Curator and an instructor in higher education at Lindenwood University, USA. With over sixteen years of experience in galleries across the United States, her expertise lies in 19th-century British art, art education, and inclusivity in cultural heritage collections for neurodiverse populations. She has authored several works on inclusivity in the workplace and best practices for supporting neurodiversity in cultural heritage institutions, highlighting the importance of creating accessible and welcoming spaces for all individuals to engage with cultural heritage collections.