1. Introduction
Museum offers are very important in tourist destinations and are often an integral part of tourists’ stay. For this reason, it is essential to examine the role of museums in shaping the overall tourist experience and to assess visitor satisfaction.
Tourism is an important part of the global economy and contributes to employment, social well-being, and cultural diversity. Cultural tourism, where museums play a key role, promotes the spiritual development of society. Museums quickly adapt to globalisation, attract many domestic and foreign visitors, and actively collaborate with the public. Museum-tourism activities cover various aspects based on the collection and analysis of tourism market data [
1].
Museums are increasingly recognised as a significant part of the tourist offer and an important attraction for visitors looking for entertainment [
2,
3,
4]. A visit to the museum can be seen as a form of travel, while visitor experiences in the museum environment are appropriately defined as a specific type of tourist experience [
5,
6]. However, according to Beverland and Farrelly [
7] and Blud [
8], the traditional museum approach has focused mainly on exhibition facilities, while the aspect of visitor experience has been underrepresented. With the museum’s focus on creating a visitor experience [
9] growing, the relationship between museums and tourists has become a subject of interest in academic research in the fields of museology and tourism.
It follows that museums are a crucial element of tourist destinations, enriching the overall tourist experience with their unique cultural and educational facilities that attract diverse groups of visitors. Their role in shaping the destination’s image contributes to increasing tourist satisfaction, which can positively impact previously unexplored aspects, such as consumption within the destination and the likelihood of a return visit.
Despite numerous studies on museum offers and tourist experience, the literature lacks research on the mutual relations between visitors’ satisfaction with museums, their total consumption in the destination, and their behaviour related to recommendations and return visits. The link between socio-demographic factors and perception of museum services was also insufficiently explored. Based on these gaps in the literature, key research issues aimed at a deeper understanding of the impact of museums within tourist destinations are being developed.
Exploring visitors’ views on museums is important to understanding their importance in modern tourism. This can provide future guidelines for the development of tourist offerings in destinations.
The aim of this research is to examine in detail the role of the museum offer in shaping the overall tourist experience on the islands of Cres and Lošinj in Croatia. Special attention is focused on analysing visitors’ attitudes towards museums as part of a tourist destination, and examining the connection between museum experiences and satisfaction with the destination, the level of consumption, and the intention to visit again. This research will answer the following questions:
What is the impact of satisfaction with the museum experience on the overall satisfaction with the tourist destination?
Is there a correlation between the consumption of visitors within the museum and their total consumption during their stay at the destination?
To what extent does the perception of museums as an important element of the tourist offer encourage destination recommendations and return visits?
How do socio-demographic factors, such as age, education, and place of origin, affect the perception and satisfaction with the museum’s offer?
The analysis of the answers to these questions will provide empirical insights into the importance of museums as cultural and economic factors in tourist destinations. It will contribute to the development of guidelines for the improvement of museum and tourist offers in the field of cultural tourism.
This paper complements the existing research on the museum offer and tourist experience with an empirical analysis of visitors’ experience, satisfaction, and their connection with consumption and intention to revisit. In this way, the work fits into a broader framework of museological and tourism studies. It also brings additional insights because it does not view museums exclusively as spaces for preserving and presenting heritage, but also as active participants in developing a tourist destination. A special contribution is reflected in the fact that, although memorial museums in Central and Eastern Europe are often researched in the context of education, collective memory, and transitional justice, fewer works look at them through the prism of the tourist experience and economic impact. This research fills this gap, highlighting the importance of museums as cultural and economic factors that shape the overall attractiveness of a destination.
2. Literature Review
Museums are considered important tourist attractions within cultural tourism, capable of being a stakeholder in social and economic development and contributing to the differentiation of tourist offer and competitiveness of the destination [
10]. The museum (from the Greek museion, the Musa Temple) defines an institution or place dedicated to collecting, studying, and exhibiting material and intangible traces of man and his environment. Throughout history, museums have changed their formats, tasks, working methods, and management [
11].
Most countries have legally defined museum terms, but the International Council of Museums (ICOM) definition is the most widely accepted at the international level. On 24 August 2022, during the 26th ICOM General Conference held in Prague, a new definition of a museum was adopted: “A museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, preserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability. They act and communicate ethically, professionally and with the participation of communities, offering diverse experiences for education, enjoyment, reflection and knowledge sharing” [
12]. This definition replaces the previous one from 2007, reflecting contemporary trends in the museum sector, emphasising inclusiveness, sustainability, ethics and community participation. While earlier definitions concentrated more on museums’ roles in heritage conservation and research, the new definition further highlights the importance of museums’ social responsibility and their role in promoting diversity and access to knowledge for the wider public.
Although museums are classified as non-profit institutions under ICOM’s definition, their activities can significantly impact the local economy and tourism. The apparent contradiction arises from museums not seeking profit but reinvesting their income into preservation, research, and program development. Nevertheless, their presence generates multiplier economic effects, encouraging visitor spending, creating jobs, boosting revenue in hospitality and trade, and supporting cultural tourism development. Therefore, even though museums are formally nonprofit organisations, they can be strategically viewed as vital economic resources of a destination, with their cultural and educational roles remaining central.
According to some museologists, such as those linked to the Czech school of museology, a museum is a specific way of targeted and systematic protection and collection of three-dimensional objects that demonstrate the development of nature and society [
13]. Before the official definition in the 18th century, various civilisations had places similar to today’s museums, and the ICOM definition reflects the current Western context and corporate interests. Some authors suggest a broader definition of the museum as “a permanent institution that maintains collections of so-called physical documents and shapes knowledge of them” [
14] or as a space where objects and their associated values are preserved, studied, and shared [
15]. More generally, the museum can also function as a “place of remembrance,” including various institutions, spaces, experiences, and intangible aspects [
16,
17,
18].
From this perspective, the museum is seen as a human tool for archiving, understanding, and transmitting knowledge. According to Spielbauer, museums help raise awareness of the connection between the social, aesthetic, and natural worlds through information and experience [
19]. Deloche also defines the museum as a function or sensory experience that ensures the storage and transmission of the entire culture, making us human [
20].
Museums today are categorised according to the nature of their collections, mission, or target audience, which enables better insight into their function and significance within tourist and cultural contexts. According to an Article published in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, five basic types of museums are artistic, historical, natural and scientific, general museums, and a relatively new category—so-called virtual museums that operate exclusively digitally [
21].
In his analysis of memorial institutions, Dušan Otašević highlights that their emergence results from significant historical events of broad social importance, and that visiting and remembering these events serve as a strong national, political, cultural, and artistic duty for society. Memorial institutions are dedicated to specific historical phenomena, yet they are also linked to certain aspects of objective reality, which socially assign them particular importance and roles. Therefore, these institutions are essential sources of knowledge and cultural and emotional growth and serve as venues for ongoing social life and reflection [
22].
Furthermore, Otašević warns that memorial institutions are often not fully developed to meet society’s actual needs for memory and coordination, and they tend to act spontaneously and chaotically. He believes that, due to their vital educational and cultural role, memorial institutions should be organically integrated into a larger network of museums and cultural institutions to ensure their long-term sustainability and quality of work. Only such a coordinated network can properly monitor, develop, and preserve memorial themes, thereby effectively supporting the process of remembrance and education [
22].
Otašević also highlights the importance of museological theory and practice in shaping this network and stresses the need for a systematic approach that includes coordination, expertise, and clear professional standards in presenting historical events through memorial institutions. Therefore, as places of collective remembrance, memorial museums also serve as tools for social learning, reconciliation, and critical re-examination of the past [
22].
A literature review on memorial museums in Central and Eastern Europe, with a special emphasis on education, transitional justice, visitor empathy, and their influence on young people, highlights the complex role of these institutions in contemporary society. Studies show that memorial museums documenting communist crimes have become key spaces for reflecting on the tragedies of the past and their consequences in transitional justice processes. The paper on memorial sites in Eastern Europe emphasises the importance of museums and memorial complexes such as the State Museum of Defence and Siege of Leningrad, which houses a significant collection of over 37,000 exhibits, and is visited by more than two million people annually. A similar memorial complex for the Battle of Stalingrad and the Museum of the Battle for the Weapons of the Great Victory provide rich content that also serves as an educational tool for visitors, including younger generations. These museums use modern technologies to convey historical events, encouraging empathy and understanding towards the victims and the context of communism and war suffering. This type of museum certainly contributes to the formation of historical awareness and social dialogue on justice and reconciliation [
23].
More broadly, the analysis of historical museums in Central and Eastern Europe shows that these museums often balance education and memorialization. Their impact on society is reflected in shaping the identities of communities affected by traumatic historical events. New approaches in museum pedagogy, aimed at young people as a key audience, are developed through interactive and participatory programs that promote active involvement and emotional engagement with museum content. Visitors’ empathy toward artefacts and testimonies from the communist era is seen as a crucial factor that can enhance understanding of complex historical processes and support the healing of collective traumas. Such museum experiences and targeted educational programs can significantly influence young people by fostering critical attitudes toward history and the culture of remembrance. Recent examples of memorial centres that have been designed or modernised with contemporary museum practices highlight the importance of empathy as a vital aspect of museum education [
23]. Therefore, memorial museums in Central and Eastern Europe play a crucial role as both custodians of the history of communist crimes and war traumas and as active contributors to transitional justice processes.
According to a report from an international colloquium organised by the International Association of History Museums [
24], history museums in Europe face challenges and developments that reflect the region’s complex political, social, and cultural changes. Special emphasis is placed on museum policies that adapt to new paradigms of interpreting historical identity and their role in society.
Museums are no longer viewed as guardians of artefacts but have become active participants in shaping collective identity and public memory. This process emphasises the importance of including different perspectives and fostering dialogue within the communities museums serve. History museums develop programs that encourage critical thinking and promote diverse narratives to make historical interpretation as objective and inclusive as possible. The colloquium also highlighted the significance of museums’ educational role, especially in working with young people, to cultivate awareness of historical processes and empathy for victims of conflict and repression. Multimedia and interactive museum content are essential for engaging visitors and creating an emotional connection with history, which also helps cultivate a sense of social responsibility [
24].
It follows that European museum policy is shifting toward increased collaboration across national borders, embracing ideas of comparative and transnational history. This Europeanization of museum activities results in the expansion of collections that display historical phenomena from national and European perspectives. In this way, historical museums serve as a platform for encouraging dialogue and understanding among people [
24].
According to a 2012 study by the Museum Documentation Centre, understanding the structure of visitors and their experiences is key to improving educational programs and content at cultural institutions, including memorial museums. Unlike simple counts, the analysis included qualitative factors like age, education, impressions, and emotional engagement of visitors. The results show that middle-aged and young people make up a large part of the audience, especially in programs that combine informative and emotional elements. Additionally, the study emphasises that educational programs with interactive workshops, participatory projects, and multimedia displays are most effective in fostering empathy toward historical events and museum artefacts. This approach helps visitors connect more deeply with memorial museum content, positively impacting their understanding of historical trauma and the importance of transitional justice [
25].
Special attention is given to working with young people because they are most sensitive to creative and interactive content that encourages critical thinking and emotional reflection. Focusing on spreading awareness and empathy through educational programs is essential for memorial institutions’ long-term sustainability and their role in society [
25].
A literature review shows that museums are key factors in shaping the tourist experience, serving as significant cultural and economic resources for destinations. Although many studies highlight the importance of museums, the literature underscores the need for a broader understanding of the relationships between visitor satisfaction, consumption, behaviour related to repeat visits, and recommendations. Additionally, the influence of socio-demographic factors on perceptions of the museum offers has not been sufficiently researched. This gap in knowledge leads to a focus on a comprehensive analysis of the museum experience on the islands of Cres and Lošinj, aiming to examine their role within the larger tourist framework and their contribution to the destination’s economic development. This provides the foundation for the specific research goals of this paper and for further empirical testing of the hypotheses.
2.1. Impact of Museums on Tourist Experience
Tourist experience is a psychological state that develops through interactions with the services provided [
26]. Tourists also have emotional reactions that stay in their memory, occurring on emotional, physical, intellectual, or spiritual levels [
27]. The quality of the tourist experience greatly influences overall satisfaction and the likelihood of revisiting the destination. Research indicates a significant impact of the tourist experience on satisfaction and the intention to return [
28].
It should be noted that satisfaction comprises the entirety of psychological states resulting from consuming tourist experiences [
29,
30]. Satisfaction is defined as the post-consumption evaluation of tourist services [
30]. Furthermore, the intention to revisit pertains to an individual’s plans to engage or not engage in specific behaviour in the future [
31]. The desire to visit again also indicates a customer’s wish to return to a place they have previously visited, serving as a sign of their level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction [
32]. Satisfied tourists are more likely to return to the destination. Therefore, understanding and enhancing the tourist experience is essential for destinations that want to boost visitor loyalty and achieve long-term growth. Analysing how different aspects of the tourist experience influence satisfaction and the intention to revisit offers valuable insights for tourism stakeholders to improve service quality, better align offers with tourists’ expectations, and promote industry development [
33].
Museums also offer visitors tangible (such as the quantity and quality of services) and intangible experiences, including tourist emotions and motives [
34,
35]. They are places of experiential consumption where visitors relax, educate, learn, and socialise [
9,
36]. This perspective was supported by a survey from other authors [
9], who see museums as a complete “product” of the visitor experience. An example is the Ghana National Museum, which provides various facilities, including art paintings, ethnographic exhibits featuring traditional headmaster uniforms, musical instruments, textiles, gold weights, and archaeological objects that showcase the historical development from the Stone Age to today. Pine and Gilmore [
37] emphasise that museum experiences are valuable and tourists are willing to pay for them.
A study by Vu and associates [
38] at the Hong Kong Museum showed that visitor behaviour and experience significantly influence their satisfaction. The link between tourist experience and enjoyment is closely connected to the cultural elements of museum content [
39,
40], and understanding visitor behaviour and experiences can improve the destination’s appeal for tourists [
38]. Previous studies also emphasise that visitors’ satisfaction is key in assessing the museum’s offers [
41], with factors such as the museum collection, exhibit methods, and interpretation playing a significant role in their overall satisfaction [
42].
High-quality museum services must be continuously improved to keep visitors satisfied and ensure the museum’s long-term sustainability. According to Oliver [
43], pleasure is an emotional response that occurs when expectations are confirmed. In the context of the museum, satisfaction should be measured not only after the service is provided but throughout the entire experience [
44,
45]. The level of customer satisfaction is a crucial factor in their decision-making and is linked to loyalty to the product or service [
46,
47,
48].
In the tourism literature, Laroche and associates [
49] and Danaher and Sweeney [
50] note that high-quality tourism services promote customer loyalty and directly influence profitability. Additionally, empirical research shows that museums are perceived as cultural experiential goods, and that tourist satisfaction and loyalty are essential factors that museum administrators must focus on to deliver appealing, high-quality services to visitors [
51,
52].
2.2. Economic Importance of Museums in Tourism
Attention shifted towards the power of cultural heritage to attract visitors, and the associated economic impact of museums and cultural institutions began to grow rapidly during the 1970s. Some of the most prominent urban regeneration projects in recent times, such as the Sydney Opera House in Australia (opened in 1973), the Pompidou Centre in Paris (1971), and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao (1997), aimed to establish prestigious cultural institutions and position the city on a global cultural map [
53]. In parallel with the increasing recognition of the importance of cultural and creative industries, many countries have started to seek new drivers of economic growth, especially as traditional industrial production has gradually declined. Cultural activities have increasingly been viewed as an alternative for job creation, as reflected in the 1990 report of the French Planning Commission on the creation of new services and jobs, Nouveaux services, nouveaux emplois, as well as in the 1997 White Paper on Creative Industries [
53]. Cultural tourism was also expected to attract new consumers and boost revenues.
While museums were previously mainly valued as places of cultural, educational, and symbolic significance, they are increasingly recognized as important sources of income and job creation. Museums, like any other economic entity, spend money on daily operations, and their annual expenditures can be quite high. For example, the National Museums in Great Britain have annual spending that can reach up to £715 million [
54].
Museums generate revenue from ticket sales, exhibition fees, and activities like hosting events, selling souvenirs, and merchandise. Moreover, museum activities often build strong relationships with other players in the creative industries and various sectors of the broader economy. Many studies assessing economic impact confirm that museums help create jobs, boost gross domestic product (GDP), and significantly increase tax revenues for local communities. For example, in the United States, museums contributed
$50 billion to the country’s GDP in 2016, supported over 726,000 jobs, and generated
$12 billion in tax revenue [
55]. In England, the Arts Council estimates that more than 2635 museums and other tourist sites generate an income of £2.64 billion and employ over 38,000 people [
56].
Museums worldwide are key cultural resources that attract many visitors. For example, in 2023, Finland had over 300 professionally managed museum sites, drawing nearly 9 million visitors, which results in about 1.5 visits per person [
57]. Like many countries, Finnish museums rely heavily on public funding, covering roughly 72% of their costs [
57]. Therefore, it is crucial to accurately evaluate museums’ cultural benefits relative to public spending, as economic analysis of benefits and costs is becoming an increasingly important tool for policymakers and financiers [
58].
The challenge is to measure the economic value of the museum service reliably. Historically, museums justified state funding mainly by their role as caretakers of valuable cultural and scientific objects, but this tangible “storage” function has become less significant today. Increasing attention is now focused on museums’ intangible social benefits through public exhibitions, programs, and digital content, such as supporting education, fostering creativity, building identity, strengthening civic pride, and promoting community health and well-being [
59,
60,
61,
62,
63,
64]. These intangible benefits are hard to evaluate with traditional market methods.
2.3. Economics of Experience in the Museum Concept
In a modern environment characterised by increasing competition, many products and services lose their differentiation power and become similar, which is why consumers seek complete and longer-lasting experiences that combine emotions, memories, sensations, and symbolism [
65]. Organisations therefore strive to enrich their offers by creating memorable experiences that engage users on emotional, physical, intellectual, and spiritual levels [
66]. Such experiences are increasingly viewed as a key factor in brand building, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty, and achieving a competitive advantage [
67,
68].
In museums, the traditional role of preserving and presenting cultural heritage is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of today’s visitors, who seek active participation, learning, and personal experiences of the “place” [
69,
70]. That is why museums should adopt the principles of experiential marketing and offer visitors experiences filled with symbolism, emotions, and enjoyment rather than just practical benefits [
71].
Pine and Gilmore define four basic areas of the experiential economy: education, entertainment, escapism, and aesthetics [
66]. These areas can be understood along two dimensions: users’ active and passive involvement and the level of absorption and immersion in experience. For example, entertainment implies passive inclusion and mental absorption, while education involves active participation and learning. Escapism requires immersion and active participation, whereas aesthetics represents immersion with passive involvement, emphasising ambience and atmosphere [
66]. The richest experiences are created by combining all dimensions, forming the so-called “sweet spot” experiences.
Empirical research in the museum context confirms that visitors recognise these areas as central to their experience. In a survey conducted in three South African heritage museums, it was shown that visitors most often associate their experiences with education and entertainment (edutainment), escapism, and aesthetics, where entertainment had the greatest impact on overall satisfaction and intentions of behaviour such as return visits and recommendations [
72]. It was also found that demographic factors like age and residence may influence how people perceive certain experiential dimensions. These findings confirm that, to maintain and increase their relevance, museums must actively shape visits through the dimensions of the experiential economy. Besides increasing visitors’ satisfaction, their loyalty is also promoted, which in the long run helps sustain and improve the competitiveness of cultural institutions.
2.4. Quality of Service, Satisfaction and Loyalty Relationship
According to Parasuraman and colleagues, the quality of service is defined as the gap between the user’s expectations and their perception of the actual service provided. SERVQUAL quality model includes five basic dimensions: palpability, reliability, sustainability, persuasiveness, and empathy. This scale has been validated across various service industries, such as banking, telecommunications, and maintenance services, and has also been shown to be applicable in other service sectors. Subsequent studies in different countries have demonstrated that the importance of each dimension varies depending on the type of service and the specific market [
73].
According to the World Tourism Organisation, the quality of tourist services is reflected in meeting tourists’ expectations at the destination. It is measured through factors such as safety, hygiene, accessibility, transparency, authenticity, and the compliance of tourist activities with the environment, local population, and nature [
74]. Wei further emphasises that the quality of the tourist service includes the value and benefits of the services at each level, while meeting tourists’ expectations is crucial [
75].
Many studies show that quality of service and satisfaction may vary, but that quality of service typically precedes user satisfaction [
73]. Satisfaction can be seen as a result of a subjective valuation of the value in a transaction or relationship based on the perception of the service delivered against expectations and comparison with competition [
76,
77]. Parasuraman and associates [
78] argue that higher perception of quality leads to greater satisfaction, as confirmed by Lee and associates [
79]. This connection was demonstrated empirically by Cronin and Taylor [
80] and Oliver [
81], emphasising that the quality of service is a key factor of satisfaction.
In the context of tourism, Akbaba [
82] shows that touchability is the most important quality dimension in Turkish hotel services. Al-Ababneh [
83] concludes that factors such as facilities, accessibility, and attractiveness positively impact satisfaction. Luu Thanh Duc Hai [
84] confirms that satisfaction relates to service delivery, infrastructure, security, and the human factor, with local specificities having the greatest influence. A recent study by Nguyen Thi Cam Phu [
85] emphasises that trust, responsiveness, infrastructure, empathy, and palpability significantly shape tourist satisfaction.
Furthermore, it should be noted that loyalty has two aspects: attitudes and behaviours. It includes continuous use of the service, positive attitudes toward the service provider, and the intention to reuse it. Behavioural loyalty is demonstrated through concrete actions, while attitude reflects a general sense of sympathy for the service [
86,
87,
88,
89].
The loyalty measurement often includes the intention to visit again, positive recommendations, and willingness to spend extra at the destination [
87,
88,
89]. The relationship between satisfaction and loyalty also depends on how these constructs are measured [
90]. Although satisfaction does not guarantee automatic loyalty, research confirms that highly satisfied tourists often remain loyal to the destination. Jones and Sasser [
91] emphasise that pleasure itself is not enough, but it significantly increases the likelihood of loyalty.
Previous research shows that satisfied tourists often return and recommend a destination to others, as confirmed by numerous authors [
92,
93,
94,
95,
96,
97,
98]. Satisfaction can also increase their willingness to pay higher service prices, highlighting its importance in managing tourist destinations.
Visitor loyalty is a complex concept that is understood through various theoretical models in the literature. One of the most influential is Oliver’s model [
99], which suggests that loyalty develops gradually over four phases: cognitive, affective, contagious, and action. This model demonstrates that loyalty does not originate solely from satisfaction but involves a transition from cognitive evaluations and emotional connection to actual intentions and behaviours, such as return visits or recommendations. A similar distinction is made by Dick and Bass [
100] in their integrated loyalty framework, where they differentiate between the attitudinal (attitude-based) and behavioural (action-based) dimensions of loyalty. According to their view, only a combination of a positive attitude and actual behaviour indicates true loyalty, whereas a repeat visit without a positive attitude is considered “forced loyalty,” and a positive attitude without a return visit is termed “latent loyalty.”
Furthermore, the interpretation and understanding of loyalty enhance the connection between the quality of service, satisfaction, and behavioural intentions. Zeithaml, Berry, and Parasuraman [
101] demonstrated that high-quality service promotes satisfaction, leading to positive word-of-mouth, willingness to pay higher prices, and repeat visits. In tourism, Backman and Crompton [
102] emphasise that loyalty also involves the frequency of participation in a given activity and the emotional connection of users, which can be applied to a museum setting where a repeat visit often depends on the emotional bond with the institution.
Oppermann [
103] develops the concept of loyalty to the destination through three components: a return visit, a recommendation to others, and a positive attitude towards the destination. Since museums are an important part of the cultural and tourist offer, this approach helps better understand visitors’ behaviour within the broader destination context. On the other hand, Yoon and Uysal [
92] highlight that visitors’ motivation and satisfaction are key factors of loyalty, with satisfaction serving as an intermediary between motivation and actual behavioural intentions.
Therefore, these models demonstrate that loyalty is not a simple, one-dimensional term but a complex process involving intertwined cognitive, emotional, and behavioural components. Models that emphasise the connection between service quality, satisfaction, and repeat visits, as well as those recognising the importance of motivation and emotional bonds in shaping long-term customer loyalty, are especially relevant in the museum context.
3. Methodology
This quantitative study aims to evaluate the museum’s influence on the overall tourist experience and analyze the relationship between this experience and economic indicators, such as visitor spending and satisfaction levels. The goal is to understand how museums contribute to shaping the tourist experience and their importance in attracting and retaining visitors. The findings will help identify the museum as a valuable resource for developing cultural tourism and increasing local revenue.
For research purposes, the following hypotheses have been established:
H1. Visitors who have a higher level of satisfaction with the museum experience show greater overall satisfaction with the tourist destination.
This hypothesis explores how the museum contributes to the overall tourist experience. If museums leave a positive impression, they can significantly influence how people perceive the entire destination. The correlation and regression analysis can verify the presence of this relationship.
H2. There is a positive link between the consumption of visitors to museums (tickets, souvenirs, etc.) and the total level of their consumption in the destination.
This hypothesis explores the economic importance of museums. Visitors who spend more on museums are likely to spend more on other services, which may indicate a higher economic value for this segment of visitors.
H3. Visitors who perceive museums as an important part of the tourist offer are more likely to recommend the destination to others and/or visit again.
This hypothesis explores the loyalty and promotional potential of satisfied visitors. If museums boost the destination’s attractiveness, they likely also influence behaviours such as recommending and returning.
H4. There are statistically significant differences in the level of satisfaction with the museum offer among visitors of different ages, educational levels and backgrounds.
The goal is to examine how demographic variables influence the museum experience. These results can help refine market segmentation and tailor the museum’s offers.
The survey was conducted at two museums (Apoxiomena Mali Lošinj Museum and Cres Museum) to represent a broad range of museum offers and visitors. Both museums are located on the islands of Cres and Mali Lošinj in Croatia and are an essential part of the tourist attractions of these island destinations. Since both locations are mainly summer holiday spots, the museums play a significant role in the local tourism scene during that season.
The research instrument is a questionnaire distributed in Croatian, English, German, and Italian paper form. Visitors completed the survey during or immediately after their visit to the museum. The survey was conducted from 7 July to 12 July 2025, a period when many foreign tourists visited Cres and Lošinj, and a total of 200 questionnaires were collected. The questionnaire includes questions about visitors’ demographic characteristics, their experiences and satisfaction with the museum visit, their perception of the museum as part of the tourist destination, and their total costs during their stay (including tickets, accommodation, food, and other services). It also examines how much museums contribute to the overall destination experience and visitors’ willingness to recommend or revisit. All statistical analyses were conducted using Jamovi v. 2.6.
The questionnaire is organised into five thematic sections to systematically gather information about visitors, their experiences, spending at the museum, and perceptions of the museum as part of the tourist destination. The first section includes demographic details (gender, age, education level, country of origin, and first visit to the destination), enabling segmentation of participants and analysis based on basic socio-demographic factors. The second section focuses on visit-related information (duration, planning, motivations, and type of museum), helping to understand visitors’ behaviour and preferences. The third section addresses museum experience and satisfaction, where respondents rate the quality of exhibitions, staff professionalism, and overall satisfaction using a Likert scale from 1 to 5. The fourth section examines perceptions of the museum as part of the destination, such as its impact on the overall experience and willingness to recommend it, also using a Likert scale. The fifth section covers economic aspects and consumption, including total expenses, museum costs, souvenir or extra service purchases, and perceptions of the price-quality ratio. Lastly, an open-ended question for comments and suggestions was added to gather qualitative data and ideas for improving the experience.
The questionnaire combines different types of questions to ensure a comprehensive analysis of the data. Closed questions are the most common and are used for demographic information, visitor details, and economic factors (for example, gender, education level, reasons for visits, costs, and the price-quality ratio). Questions with a scoring scale (Likert scale) are used in sections that assess satisfaction with the museum experience and perceptions of the museum as part of the destination, which allows for quantitative analysis of attitudes and opinions. The questionnaire also includes an open-ended question for comments and suggestions, providing more detailed, qualitative insights that closed questions cannot capture. This mixed approach balances quantitative and qualitative data, enhances the reliability of results, and promotes a deeper understanding of visitor experiences and perceptions.
Informed consent was obtained from all participants before data collection. Participation was entirely voluntary and anonymous, with clear notice that individuals could withdraw at any time without consequences. The questionnaire included a statement about the research and participation, and was only completed by those who had previously given their consent. Participants were offered the chance to receive research results via email, ensuring transparency and feedback.
The surveys were distributed in print form and made available to museum visitors. Both the researcher and the interviewer fully implemented measures to ensure data validity. Special attention was given to accuracy during the process, and the authors were present on-site to monitor and ensure the credibility of the collected data.
The research protocol began with creating a survey based on statistical data and hypotheses. Afterwards, the questionnaires were printed and prepared for distribution. Before starting the research, an official request was sent to the museum via email, and once approved by the director, the research could commence. Data collection took place in museum spaces, and visitors were directly interacting with them. After a week of data collection, the data were entered and analysed, marking the completion of the research analysis phase.
The questionnaires were prepared in English and Croatian. Respondents also spoke English, German, and Italian and held language certifications, further ensuring effective communication.
Four interviewers participated in the survey, which was scheduled at different times to respect museum working hours. The survey was conducted in the museum hall, at the reception, after the exhibition tour, where visitors completed it.
It is also important to highlight its advantages and limitations to get a more complete view of the methodology used. The methodology has several benefits. Using a structured questionnaire allowed for the collection of comparable and quantitatively processed data from a larger sample, while the included issues and qualitative aspects contributed to a deeper understanding of visitors’ experiences. The combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis thus enables more reliable conclusions about the perception of the museum experience and its relationship with satisfaction and loyalty.
However, there are limitations. The sample of respondents depends on availability and voluntary participation, which can introduce bias—for instance, more willing and satisfied visitors may be more likely to take part in the survey. The data also rely on respondents’ self-reports, so subjective distortions or socially desirable answers are possible. Since the survey was conducted in two museums, the results cannot be fully generalised to all museums in the region. Although the survey method is useful for measuring perceptions and attitudes, it does not provide insight into long-term behavioural patterns, such as the actual rate of repeat visits.
Despite these limitations, the selected method provides a solid framework for exploring the research questions. It offers empirical insights that can form the foundation for future studies in a wider museological and tourism context.
4. Results
Before testing the hypotheses of this paper, a factor analysis was conducted on two sets of survey questions related to Museum experience and satisfaction. Upon conducting the analysis, Bartlett’s sphericity test (χ
2(10) = 559.3,
p < 0.001) and the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy (
Table 1) indicated that the correlation matrix among the survey questions was suitable for factor analysis. Factor analysis was performed using the maximum likelihood extraction method, retaining all factors with eigenvalues greater than 1 according to the Kaiser criterion. Additionally, the decision to keep only the first extracted factor was supported by the scree plot shown in
Figure 1. The results of the factor analysis are presented in
Table 1. Five items related to Museum experience and satisfaction clustered around a single factor, which explained 60.4% of the variance. Furthermore, the Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient (α = 0.90) indicated high reliability of the scale.
Table 2 shows the counts and frequencies of categorical survey items. Out of the total sample of 196 participants, 51% were surveyed in Cres and 49% in Lošinj. The sample included 47% men, 50% women, and the remaining 3% did not want to declare their gender or identified as ‘Other.’ Participants came from 30 different countries, with Croatia (20%), Slovenia (18%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (8%), and Italy (7%) being the most common. Regarding education, most participants held secondary school (30%), bachelor’s (31%), or master’s (28%) degrees. The majority (71%) reported this as their first visit to the destination. For visiting the museum, 57% planned their trip, while 43% visited spontaneously. The main reasons for visiting were cultural education (32%), interest/fun (23%), and activity (21%). Most participants visited a historical (52%) or themed/specialised (27%) museum. Additionally, 60% did not buy souvenirs or use extra services, but most respondents viewed the museum’s price-to-quality ratio positively, considering it either favorable (41%) or very favorable (24%).
Table 3 shows descriptive statistics for the numeric survey variables. Participants stayed at the current destination for between 1 and 68 days, with a median stay of 7 days. They also estimated that their total cost of staying at the destination (including accommodation, food, activities, entrance fees, etc.) ranged from 0 € to 9000 €, with a median of 1000 €, resulting in a median daily expenditure of 147.24 €. During their visit to the museum, participants spent between 0 € and 80 €, with a median of 6 €.
The variables for Museum experience and satisfaction were calculated by summing 5 items each, with both having a theoretical range of 5 to 25. Participants displayed high ratings for both (M = 22.98, SD = 2.79).
To examine the H1, we analysed specific survey items, “This museum increased my overall destination experience” and “I would consider returning to this destination because of a positive museum experience,” as indicators of the impact of museum experience on overall destination satisfaction. We developed two regression models in which these survey items served as the dependent variables, with the survey item “I am satisfied with the overall experience of this museum visit” as the independent variable. Additionally, we included age, daily expenditure, and planned/spontaneous visit as control variables that could also affect overall experience. The results of the regression analyses are shown in
Table 4. The VIF index for each variable did not indicate multicollinearity issues among predictor variables, and inspection of residual plots showed no signs of non-normal distribution of residuals.
Results show that satisfaction with the museum experience is a significant, positive, and strong predictor in both regression models. Meanwhile, neither of the control variables significantly contributed to explaining the dependent variable. These results support H1, indicating that satisfaction with the museum experience influences overall satisfaction with the tourist destination.
To test the H2, we calculated a Pearson correlation coefficient between participants’ statements on their total expenditure at the destination and their spending at the museum. This relationship (r = 0.19, p = 0.007) was statistically significant and positive but weak, indicating that overall spending at the destination has a limited influence on spending at the museum, although a positive relationship exists.
Additionally, we analysed whether there were significant differences in total destination and museum spending based on whether participants purchased a souvenir or used extra museum services, using Welch’s t-test because Levene’s test showed unequal variances. A significant difference (t(99.01) = 8.88, p < 0.001) in museum spending was found between participants who bought a souvenir or extra museum service (M = 27.89, SD = 20.02) and those who did not (M = 6.61, SD = 8.90). However, there was no significant difference in overall destination spending between these groups (t(145.56) = 1.83, p = 0.07).
To examine the H3, we analysed specific survey items: “I would recommend this destination to my family and friends because of this museum” and “I would consider returning to this destination because of a positive museum experience” as indicators of the impact of museum experience on recommendations and willingness to return. We developed two regression models in which these survey items served as dependent variables, and the survey item “Museum is an important part of the tourist offer in this destination” was used as an independent variable. We also included age, daily expenditure, and planned/spontaneous visits as control variables that could affect overall experience. The results of the regression analyses are shown in
Table 5. The VIF index for each variable did not indicate multicollinearity issues among predictor variables, and residuals examined through residual plots showed no signs of non-normal distribution.
Results indicate that viewing the museum as a key part of the tourism offer in this destination is a significant, positive, and strong predictor in both regression models. Conversely, none of the control variables contributed significantly to explaining the dependent variables. These findings support H3, suggesting that considering the museum as an important aspect of the tourist experience positively influences recommendations for the destination and the willingness to return in the future.
To test the H4, we used a composite measure of Museum experience and satisfaction and examined its relationship with age and differences across gender and educational level. It has been shown that Museum experience and satisfaction are significantly, positively, and slightly related (r = 0.16, p = 0.03) to participants’ age, indicating that Museum experience and satisfaction tend to increase with participants’ age.
On the other hand, no differences were found in gender (t(188) = 0.49, p = 0.625) or educational level (F(4, 41.41) = 1.48, p = 0.226) concerning Museum experience and satisfaction.
5. Discussion
The findings of this research highlight the significant role of museums in shaping the overall tourist experience, and they suggest that visitor satisfaction with museum experiences can positively influence their perception of the entire destination. The results confirm the important role of museums in cultural tourism and destination offers [
104,
105], where the quality of museum presentations and visitor interactions strongly influence how people view the destination and its appeal.
A significant factor in this study was the perception of the museum as an important part of the tourist offer of the destination, which emphasises the recommendations of the destination and the tendency to return. This finding is supported by studies by Chhabra and Richards, who point out that museums contribute to differentiating destinations and offer tourists unique cultural values that encourage loyalty and return visits [
106,
107]. Museums, as interpretive centres of cultural heritage, serve not only educational purposes but also create an emotional and intellectual experience that increases overall satisfaction with staying at the destination [
108,
109].
The findings of this research, which indicate that satisfaction with the museum experience significantly contributes to the perception of the destination and increases the likelihood of recommendation and repeat visits, can be linked to studies of memorial museums in Central and Eastern Europe. For example, research in Budapest showed that visitors to war memorial museums rate the content and emotional experience very highly, and comments on platforms such as TripAdvisor often highlight authenticity and educational value [
110]. These findings confirm similarities with the results in Cres and Lošinj, where visitors also expressed high satisfaction with the presentation and interpretation of cultural heritage.
On the other hand, the analysis of museums dedicated to the war in Sarajevo shows how memorial museums strongly evoke emotional reactions and empathy, but at the same time may lack broader historical and political context [
111]. In comparison, the museums in this study emphasise the historical-cultural dimension of the destination through positive experiences, thereby reducing the risk of a one-sided or solely emotional approach to interpretation.
The authenticity, as a key part of the museum experience, was also highlighted in the study on the House of Terror Museum in Budapest. Visitors strongly respond to architecture, exhibition artifacts, and interpretation methods, which greatly influence their satisfaction and desire to visit again [
112]. This study also confirmed that staff professionalism, technical conditions, and museum facilities have high average ratings, indicating similar patterns.
Popescu [
113] emphasises that visitors’ motivation for memorial museums (e.g., education, remembrance, ethnic identity, or generational differences) can strongly shape their experience. In this research, no statistically significant difference was found in the perception of the museum based on gender, education, or employment status, while only a weak correlation between age and perception was identified. Such findings can be viewed in the context of Popescu’s research, where visitors’ motives and personal context are more important predictors of their experience than socio-demographic characteristics.
All of the above suggest that museums, whether they are memorial or cultural-educational institutions, play an important role in shaping the perception of a destination, but differences arise in emotional intensity and interpretative approaches.
It is important to note that in this study, a weak but statistically significant positive correlation was found between visitors’ total spending at the destination and their spending within the museum. This suggests that higher overall expenditure does not necessarily lead to proportionally higher spending in museum facilities, highlighting the need for museums to develop strategies to attract additional funding, such as expanding services, souvenirs, or hosting special events [
114,
115]. This difference may also stem from varying motives for visiting the museum, where spontaneous visitors often spend less but experience the museum differently, often less planned and more intuitively.
This result suggests a specificity in museum consumption that may be linked to motives for visiting, planning, or the type of services and souvenirs offered. Therefore, caution is advised when interpreting the practical significance of this correlation, and further research is needed to more precisely clarify consumption patterns within museums and the possibilities for strategic development of additional offers and services. Additionally, differences in expenditure between those who used extra services or purchased souvenirs and those who did not indicate a significant role for supplementary offers in the economic sustainability of museums.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that socio-demographic factors, such as gender and educational level, have shown no significant differences in satisfaction with the museum-tourist experience. This aligns with McKercher’s findings [
115], suggesting that the perception of museum value is relatively universal. At the same time, it may vary in terms of motives or types of museums preferred by different groups. In this study, age also had no impact on satisfaction, which may indicate that museum offers are increasingly inclusive and adapted to a wide range of visitors [
116]. Although socio-demographic factors like gender and education appear to have little impact on satisfaction with the museum experience, it is important to point out that the correlation between age and satisfaction, although statistically significant, was low. It should be noted that the influence of socio-demographic factors in this study is limited or may differ in specific contexts or for different visitor groups.
Such nuances in the interpretation of findings contribute to a more realistic understanding of the complexity of museum consumption and its connection to the overall tourist experience. Based on empirical data, this will enable more effective management and development strategies for museum offers in tourist destinations.
Based on the results, it can be concluded that museums, in addition to being places of conservation and exhibition of cultural heritage, are also active participants in shaping the tourist production experience, thereby contributing to destination planning and increasing its competitiveness [
106,
107]. This contribution is not only limited to the cultural aspect, but also manifests through a significant economic impact, which includes attracting visitors, generating additional revenues, and fostering the growth of the local economy.
However, some research limitations should be highlighted: the sample of visitors is restricted to two destinations, which may affect the generalizability of the results. Additionally, the study relies on self-assessment of satisfaction, which can be influenced by subjective experiences and the respondent’s current emotional state. Future surveys should broaden their geographical scope by including more museums across different regions to enhance the sample’s representativeness and improve the potential for generalising the findings. It is also advisable to adopt a longitudinal approach to track visitor perception and behaviour changes over time. Furthermore, it is important to analyse in more detail how specific museum characteristics, such as types of collections, programs, or services, as well as marketing strategies, impact visitor patterns and satisfaction. This could offer valuable insights for improving the museum’s offers and the tourist experience.
Thus, the findings confirm that museums’ role in tourism is multifaceted, encompassing cultural, educational, and economic aspects. Investing in improving the quality of museum offers, enhancing visitor interaction, and innovating digital presentations can further strengthen museums’ contribution to the tourist destination, aligning with theses on the importance of museums as active stakeholders in cultural and creative tourism [
108,
116].
Based on the results of this research, it is recommended that museums continuously improve the quality of their content and services to boost visitor satisfaction, which in turn creates a positive overall impression of the destination. It is essential to develop informative and educational programs, ensure staff professionalism, and provide suitable spatial conditions to make the museum experience as comprehensive and engaging as possible. Tourism stakeholders should recognise museums as a key part of the tourist offer and incorporate them into the destination’s promotional campaigns, highlighting the unique cultural values museums add to its differentiation. It is also recommended that cooperation between museums, local communities, and other sectors (e.g., catering and creative industries) be promoted to create additional services and attractions that enhance the financial sustainability of museums. At the strategic level, destination authorities should consider museums’ economic and symbolic significance when planning cultural tourism development, ensuring sustainable support for museum infrastructure and innovations in digital presentation to keep museums attractive and competitive destinations for visitors.
6. Conclusions
The findings of this research highlight the important role of the museum in shaping the overall tourist experience and visitor satisfaction at the destination. The results indicate that a higher level of satisfaction with the museum offers can enhance the positive perception of the tourist destination, as museums contribute to its cultural value and can influence its attractiveness and competitiveness. This paper confirms the key role of the museum in shaping the overall tourist experience and visitor satisfaction. The research demonstrated that a high level of satisfaction with the museum offers significantly boosts the positive perception of the entire destination, enriching its cultural value and notably impacting its attractiveness and competitiveness. The statistical analysis further confirmed a positive, though weak, relationship between the total spending of visitors at the destination and their expenditure within the museum, suggesting the complex economic influence of the museum within the broader tourist environment.
Research findings suggest that museums are not only places of heritage preservation but also active contributors to creating social and economic value in tourist destinations. They promote cultural education, strengthen mutual identity, and have the potential for economic growth through increased income and employment. Additionally, it is believed that perceiving museums as important parts of the tourist offer positively influences tourists’ willingness to recommend a destination and consider returning. This highlights museums as key factors in cultural tourism development strategies. Socio-demographic variables such as gender, age, and education do not significantly impact satisfaction with museum experiences, indicating the universal appeal and accessibility of museums to a broad audience.
The research confirms that museums are places for preserving heritage and active contributors to creating social and economic value in destinations. They promote cultural education, foster a shared identity, and support economic growth through increased income and employment. These findings highlight the strategic importance of including museums in destination development plans and emphasise the need for continuous content updates and service improvements to ensure long-term sustainability and boost the competitiveness of the cultural tourism market.
Fostering synergies between museum activities and other tourism sectors, along with integrating innovations in digital presentation and interaction, proves to be a key element for the future development of visitor culture and the sustainable growth of tourist destinations.
This paper contributes to understanding museums’ economic and social role in modern tourism, offering an empirical basis for further research and the development of policies focused on the integrated valorisation of cultural heritage in tourism.
In addition to practical recommendations, the research findings have significant theoretical implications. Empirical results confirm the importance of museums as an integral part of cultural tourism and complement existing theoretical models that link service quality, satisfaction, and visitor loyalty. The study indicates that museums should not be viewed solely as institutions for preserving heritage but also as key players in shaping the destination experience and economic impacts, thereby contributing to developing the concept of the experience economy in tourism. Furthermore, the weak correlation between socio-demographic factors and satisfaction suggests the universality of the museum experience, opening up space for further theoretical considerations regarding the homogeneity of cultural experiences regardless of visitor characteristics. This work thus positions itself within the broader discussion on the role of cultural institutions in shaping tourist experiences, expanding the theoretical framework and offering guidelines for future research in museology and tourism.
Future research could focus on a deeper understanding of the psychological and educational aspects of the museum experience, especially among younger visitors, whose expectations are often shaped by the digital environment and interactive content. In particular, there is a need to examine the role of museums in developing empathy and critical thinking in visitors, as well as their potential in the context of transitional justice and dealing with sensitive topics of collective memory. Also, it is recommended to explore the differences between types of museums and cultural institutions in different geographical and social contexts, emphasising the integration of museums into broader strategies for the sustainable development of cultural tourism. Thanks to such approaches, it will be possible to enrich the theoretical framework further and provide relevant guidelines for management practice in cultural institutions. It is worth noting that this was the first utilisation of this survey, and hence, the underlying structure of survey items was investigated by using exploratory factor analysis. We considered this an important and first step in the validation process, and it is advisable to strengthen the robustness of the measurement model using confirmatory approaches in the future.