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Article

Fostering Visitor Engagement Through Serious Game-Based Mediation in Small Local Museums

by
Supaporn Chai-Arayalert
* and
Supattra Puttinaovarat
Faculty of Science and Industrial Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Surat Thani Campus, Surat Thani 84000, Thailand
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Tour. Hosp. 2025, 6(4), 218; https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp6040218
Submission received: 6 September 2025 / Revised: 10 October 2025 / Accepted: 15 October 2025 / Published: 16 October 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Authentic Tourist Experiences: The Value of Intangible Heritage)
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Abstract

Small local museums play a crucial role in safeguarding cultural heritage, but often lack the necessary resources and digital capabilities to engage younger visitors effectively. This study examines whether a mobile serious game can enhance engagement, intrinsic motivation, and cultural knowledge among Generation Z museum visitors. This study introduces Thai-Craft-To-Go, a mobile serious game that mediates intangible cultural heritage—specifically Thai textiles and handicrafts—for Generation Z. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Flow Theory and operationalized through the Mechanics–Dynamics–Aesthetics (MDA) framework, the game translates cultural content into interactive play. We conducted an exploratory evaluation with 30 Generation Z participants using the Game Engagement Questionnaire (GEQ), the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI), and a 10-item knowledge test administered before and after gameplay. Results indicated high engagement—particularly Presence and Absorption on the GEQ—strong intrinsic motivation on the IMI (notably perceived competence and value), and significant knowledge gains (mean scores increased from 4.40 to 8.03; t(29) = 8.39, p < 0.001, d = 1.53). These findings suggest that a well-designed serious game can align museum learning with the digital habits of younger audiences, enhancing engagement, motivation, and cultural understanding. For small local museums, serious games provide a feasible and cost-conscious pathway to revitalize visitor experiences and support the intergenerational transmission of intangible cultural heritage in the digital age.

1. Introduction

Museums play a vital role in the digital era—not only preserving artifacts but also mediating knowledge that links past, present, and future. In Thailand and much of Asia, most museums are small and community-based, offering personalized experiences and collections that foreground local histories and cultural narratives (Chai-Arayalert et al., 2021; Chumduang & Thirathamrongwee, 2025). Despite this value, small local museums face persistent structural constraints—limited funding, staff, and reach—that hinder competitiveness and visitor retention in an increasingly crowded cultural landscape (Karnchanaporn & Lumthaweepaisal, 2023; Sirivanichkul et al., 2018). Recognizing these constraints is key to appreciating their dual role as custodians of tangible and intangible heritage and as hubs for community learning through exhibitions, programs, and storytelling.
As digital technologies reshape cultural participation, “digital immersion” has become central to audience engagement. Yet small local museums often lack the capacity to implement high-impact digital experiences at scale, constraining their ability to engage new audiences (J. Li et al., 2024; Taormina & Baraldi, 2022). As digital natives who grew up with technology, their behaviors and expectations are significantly different from those of previous generations. Generation Z does not view learning as a passive reception of information; instead, they value “hands-on,” interactive, and participatory experiences. Therefore, studying the perceptions and behaviors of this generation is crucial for the survival and relevance of museums, especially in an era of digital transformation. The study of Generation Z not only helps museums understand their current audience but also serves as a “mirror” to reflect the necessary adjustments to build relationships with future visitors. Currently, Generation Z—individuals born between 1997 and 2012—has emerged as a crucial audience for museums both now and in the future. Generation Z has been raised in a digital environment and is accustomed to accessing information rapidly through multiple digital channels. This demographic tends to favor interactive learning over passive forms. They are more likely to engage in experiences that include games, simulations, and workshops (Connor, 2025; Hester et al., 2022; Saxena & Mishra, 2021). Consequently, these trends suggest that museums and cultural institutions must adapt their engagement strategies to align with these expectations (Connor, 2025; Hester et al., 2022; Saxena & Mishra, 2021). One effective way to remain relevant and attractive to younger audiences is to incorporate digital technology and media into their exhibitions and programs. Without such adaptation, museums risk losing cultural relevance and their ability to engage new generations, which in turn threatens the preservation and transmission of heritage knowledge (Chai-Arayalert et al., 2024).
This study introduces “Thai-Craft-To-Go,” a mobile serious game developed as a pilot intervention to engage Generation Z visitors at a small local museum and deepen their understanding of local intangible cultural heritage (e.g., traditional Thai textiles and handicrafts). This research examines how a serious game can serve as an effective digital engagement tool for small local museums. The primary goal is not only to enhance visitor engagement but also to support the preservation of intangible cultural heritage. More specifically, by drawing in Generation Z, these digital interventions help ensure that local cultural narratives continue to thrive in an increasingly globalized world. This research is premised on the idea that interactive, game-based experiences can empower Generation Z to move beyond passive observation and become active cultural mediators who reinterpret and co-create cultural meanings. Guided by Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Flow Theory, this study examines whether a mobile serious game can enhance engagement, intrinsic motivation, and cultural knowledge among Generation Z Museum visitors. The research questions state as to what extent does the Thai-Craft-To-Go increase visitor engagement, enhance intrinsic motivation among Generation Z, and improve participants’ knowledge of Thai textiles and handicrafts?
This paper proceeds with a review of the relevant literature, followed by the design and development of Thai-Craft-To-Go and our evaluation methodology. The results are then presented, along with a discussion of both the practical outcomes for museum engagement and the theoretical implications for digital cultural preservation. Finally, this paper offers insights for small local museums seeking to engage digitally savvy audiences while safeguarding intangible cultural heritage for future generations.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Museums, Generation Z, and Serious Games

Cultural heritage museums have long served as guardians of shared artifacts and stories, tasked with preserving, interpreting, and communicating knowledge to the public. Their role has shifted from passive custodianship to participatory spaces that encourage dialogue, involvement, and collective meaning-making. This evolution mirrors broader changes in visitor expectations, as contemporary audiences increasingly seek interactive, immersive, and emotionally meaningful experiences rather than static displays and straightforward information sharing (Brown & Mairesse, 2018; Giannini & Bowen, 2022).
Within this context, Generation Z has emerged as a key audience. Having grown up in digitally saturated environments, they tend to prefer immediacy, interactivity, visually rich content, and experiential learning (Hester et al., 2022; Robaina-Calderín et al., 2023). Traditional approaches—such as object display with descriptive labels—are therefore less effective at capturing their attention. This misalignment between museum practice and audience expectation is often described as an experience gap, underscoring the need for user-centered, digitally enabled approaches.
Although many museums have adopted digital innovations—such as mobile applications and augmented or virtual reality—these interventions do not always generate sustained engagement. Embracing technology alone is insufficient. Scholars increasingly advocate a shift away from one-way information delivery toward co-creation, participation, and playful engagement (Carfora et al., 2024; Yang et al., 2023). Despite progress in digital adaptation, museums have yet to fully address the deeper motivational and emotional needs of Generation Z (Bowen et al., 2025; Cordova-Rangel & Caro, 2023). This calls for approaches that move beyond technology for its own sake and instead adopt learner-centered, game-based strategies (Camuñas-García et al., 2024; Saxena & Mishra, 2021). One promising, yet underexplored, response is the integration of serious games—digital games designed for purposes beyond entertainment—into the museum experience. Serious games address cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of learning, making them well suited to contemporary museum contexts (Ćosović & Brkić, 2019; Ferrer-Yulfo, 2022).
Empirical studies show that serious games can stimulate curiosity, improve understanding, and increase visitor satisfaction—especially among Generation Z, who are highly receptive to interactive and participatory formats (Cordova-Rangel & Caro, 2023; Huang et al., 2025). Features such as quests, puzzles, and exploratory environments align closely with experiential learning, in which knowledge is acquired through cycles of experience, reflection, and experimentation. In addition, well-designed serious games promote autonomous learning, enhance knowledge retention, and sustain long-term motivation (Ćosović & Brkić, 2019; H. Li & Zhang, 2025).
Beyond cognitive and motivational outcomes, serious games hold significant potential for preserving and transmitting intangible cultural heritage. Through interactive storytelling and embodied practice, they enable cultural narratives and traditions to be reimagined in ways that resonate with younger audiences while fostering intergenerational bonds. Challenges remain, however, in balancing learning goals with engaging gameplay and safeguarding cultural authenticity. To date, most research has focused on tangible heritage and resource-rich museums, highlighting the need for further study in community-based institutions that steward intangible heritage (Ćosović & Brkić, 2019; DaCosta & Kinsell, 2022; Ferrer-Yulfo, 2022). Collectively, the literature points to a common conclusion: Generation Z visitors seek immediacy, interactivity, and immersive experiences that traditional museum models struggle to provide, whereas serious games offer a robust framework for integrating learning into interactive, engaging, and emotionally impactful environments. By aligning Generation Z’s motivations with the learning potential of serious games, museums can narrow the experience gap and reimagine themselves as participatory learning spaces (Ergin, 2024; Wang et al., 2025)

2.2. Museums as Interpreters of Heritage Values

Museums interpret heritage values by communicating the significance of places, objects, and practices to diverse publics (Campos, 2021; Nowacki, 2021). Through exhibitions, narrative devices, and multisensory interactives, interpretation links visitors to the past and to cultural meanings rather than merely presenting objects (Weng et al., 2020). As interpreters, museums situate collections within their cultural, historical, and social contexts so that visitors can engage more deeply with heritage (Campos, 2021; Weng et al., 2020). A wide repertoire of media supports this work—from labelled object displays to digital tools and hands-on interactives (Campos, 2021; Nowacki, 2021). Recent advances in digital technologies have expanded interpretive possibilities and opened pathways for more sustainable practice (Lian & Xie, 2024; Ozdemir & Zonah, 2025). Educational technologies—most notably serious games—are increasingly used to re-interpret intangible cultural heritage and to strengthen museums’ community ties (Moneta et al., 2025). These approaches create experiences that connect heritage to contemporary life, inviting broad participation. To reach diverse publics, museums increasingly tailor interpretation to the interests and needs of specific segments, including people who do not typically visit museums. By adopting novel strategies, they foster cultural understanding and appreciation (Lian & Xie, 2024; Moneta et al., 2025). Beyond conservation, museums act as cultural communicators, cultivating awareness and empathy by presenting the breadth of human experience. In doing so, they help safeguard both tangible and intangible heritage and support its transmission to future generations (Neather, 2024; Nowacki, 2021; Ozdemir & Zonah, 2025).

2.3. NaMuenSri Museum: A Case Study of a Thai Traditional Textile Museum

While most prior research has examined serious games in large, well-resourced museums, far less is known about how such digital interventions can be implemented in small, community-based institutions that preserve intangible heritage. To address this gap, this study presents the NaMuenSri Museum as a case study of a Thai traditional textile museum in Southern Thailand (Chai-Arayalert et al., 2025). More than a repository of artifacts, the NaMuenSri Museum serves as a living archive, where fabrics convey stories of identity, craftsmanship, and continuity across generations. Intricate motifs, natural dyeing techniques, and weaving practices reveal the tangible beauty of Thai textiles and handicrafts, while also embodying intangible heritage linked to trade, migration, and spirituality Despite their modest scale and limited resources, small museums such as NaMuenSri offer visitors a personal and authentic connection to heritage, underscoring the vital contribution of local institutions to sustaining cultural identity (Calvi & Vermeeren, 2024; Chai-Arayalert et al., 2021).
Like many small local museums, the NaMuenSri Museum faces significant challenges in engaging younger audiences. Despite its rich cultural heritage and deep connection to weaving traditions, it struggles with limited resources and outdated exhibition styles. Exhibits often remain static for extended periods, with minimal interactivity, which reduces their appeal to visitors who seek more dynamic and participatory experiences. This lack of interactivity can make such museums less attractive to younger generations, who may feel little incentive to return (Calvi & Vermeeren, 2024; Chai-Arayalert et al., 2025; Wang et al., 2025). As a result, the museum’s role as an active space for cultural learning and transmission becomes increasingly constrained.
The absence of advanced digital technologies compounds these issues. Small museums often lack the capacity to develop virtual exhibitions, augmented-reality experiences, or interactive displays that resonate with digital-native audiences. This technology gap limits their ability to deliver programs aligned with the interactive and fast-paced expectations of Generation Z, who increasingly value participatory learning. More broadly, traditional museum methodologies—characterized by static displays and linear narratives—do not fully align with the preferences of younger visitors (Black, 2020; Chai-Arayalert et al., 2025; J. Li et al., 2024; Pentescu, 2023). Although institutions such as NaMuenSri possess considerable cultural significance, persistent challenges in exhibition renewal, outreach, and digital integration may diminish their relevance to younger visitors if left unaddressed.

3. Research Methods

3.1. Research Design

The methodology employed for this study was Research and Development (R&D). This approach was selected due to its inherently iterative and systematic structure, which facilitates the creation of a validated product by providing a clear progression from initial needs assessment to final product validation. The R&D approach involved three main stages.
Stage 1—Preliminary analysis established the foundation by examining the context, user needs, and theoretical underpinnings. This stage conducted needs assessments with museum staff and visitors to identify educational and engagement gaps and reviewed literature on SDT and Flow Theory. Findings informed.
Stage 2—Design and development, in which concepts were converted into a concrete plan. Using the Mechanics–Dynamics–Aesthetics (MDA) framework, this stage specified game objectives, narrative, mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics. Museum content was organized into game-based tasks, and low-fidelity prototypes were created to validate the core game loop and user interface/user experience (UI/UX).
Stage 3—Evaluation comprises expert reviews and usability testing with target users. This stage involves the actual construction and refinement, followed by iterative modification based on feedback, culminating in a finalized system.

3.2. Participants and Sampling Strategy

Thirty participants were recruited through convenience sampling for this exploratory pilot study. The sample comprised members of Generation Z (ages 18–25), purposively targeted because this cohort consists of digital natives with sustained exposure to interactive media and a well-documented receptivity to game-based learning. These characteristics align with the demands of evaluating an interactive prototype, positioning the group to provide nuanced feedback on usability, engagement, and perceived educational value. Although the sample was not intended to represent the broader museum-going population, it yielded preliminary evidence regarding the intervention’s feasibility and user experience at an early stage of development. Accordingly, convenience sampling was judged both practical and methodologically suitable for this phase. Eligibility criteria ensured participants could complete the protocol and engage meaningfully with the intervention: (1) ages 18–25; (2) ability to follow game instructions; (3) willingness to complete pre- and post-intervention knowledge assessments and standardized questionnaires; and (4) availability for a single 30–45-min session.
It is important to note that this study employed a single-group pre-post design without a control group. This methodological choice reflects the study’s exploratory purpose, prioritizing an understanding of the initial user experience and establishing a baseline estimate of effectiveness before investing resources in larger, controlled studies. Although this design limits the ability to make definitive causal inferences, it provides valuable preliminary evidence of the intervention’s potential and establishes effect sizes to inform future controlled research.

3.3. Research Instruments

The study employed the Game Engagement Questionnaire (GEQ) (Brockmyer et al., 2009), the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) (Ryan & Rigby, 2020), and a 10-item knowledge test specific to Thai-Craft-To-Go. The selection of instruments was guided by theoretical alignment and contextual appropriateness, consistent with the study’s objectives. Below, a brief explanation for each methodological choice is provided.
Both the GEQ and IMI are standardized, well-validated instruments that are widely used in related contexts. The GEQ was selected over alternative engagement measures for three reasons. First, it offers comprehensive coverage of engagement dimensions—absorption, flow, and presence—that directly align with Flow Theory principles embedded in the game design. Second, the GEQ demonstrates strong psychometric properties across diverse gaming contexts and age groups, with particular validation in serious game research (Brockmyer et al., 2009). Third, its 19-item structure is appropriate for the sample size and provides sufficient granularity without inducing participant fatigue. The IMI was adopted as the primary measure of motivation because it is directly grounded in SDT, a core theoretical foundation of motivation. Its four subscales—interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance, and value/usefulness—operationalize the three basic psychological needs central to SDT (Ryan & Rigby, 2020). Finally, the 10-item knowledge test was developed to assess understanding of Thai intangible cultural heritage, aligned with predefined learning objectives, and refined through expert review to ensure clarity, relevance, and content validity.

3.4. Data Collection and Analysis

Data collection was conducted through structured gameplay sessions at the NaMuenSri Museum. Before the experiment, each participant received an information sheet outlining the study’s purpose and procedures and provided informed consent in accordance with ethical research guidelines. Participants then attended a brief orientation to familiarize themselves with the study’s objectives and basic game controls, ensuring that they were adequately prepared for gameplay. At the start of each session, participants completed a 10-item pretest to establish baseline knowledge of Thai intangible cultural heritage. Participants then engaged individually with the Thai-Craft-To-Go prototype for at least 20 min, using either their own smartphone or a research device running the same release build. Immediately after gameplay, participants completed two standardized questionnaires in a fixed order—the GEQ (immersion, flow, presence, absorption), followed by the IMI (interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance, value/usefulness)—and then repeated the same 10-item test to estimate learning gain (Δ = post − pre). Quantitative data were summarized using descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, frequencies), and reliability (Cronbach’s α) was assessed for the GEQ and IMI subscales before interpretation. Although primarily descriptive, these analyses provided preliminary evidence regarding engagement, intrinsic motivation, and learning associated with the prototype under controlled, on-site test conditions.
Thus, these methodological steps laid the foundation for assessing the Thai-Craft-To-Go prototype, and the results are presented in the subsequent section.

4. Results

4.1. Overview of Game Development

This section introduces Thai-Craft-To-Go, a mobile serious game designed to engage Generation Z by encouraging visits to and interaction with museum exhibits. It explains how the game’s design integrates cultural authenticity, learning theory, and interactive mechanics to enhance engagement, intrinsic motivation, and cultural understanding.
Thai-Craft-To-Go was developed through a user-centered, iterative process that included conceptualization, prototyping, empirical playtesting, and systematic refinement. A modern game engine ensures cross-platform stability and supports interactive mechanics that enhance player engagement. The user interface is intentionally intuitive and mobile-friendly to provide easy navigation for Generation Z players. The visual design prioritizes cultural fidelity by adapting authentic Thai textile patterns, traditional weaving tools, and motifs into digital assets.
The design approach draws on SDT and Flow Theory, using game mechanics and narrative elements to foster autonomy, competence, and immersive engagement. The result is a mobile game that integrates entertainment with informal cultural learning, allowing players to gain cultural knowledge while remaining immersed in gameplay. These choices establish the foundation for the game’s key features and functionalities, discussed in the next section.

4.2. Key Features and Functionalities

Aligned with the research objectives, Thai-Craft-To-Go integrates interactive mechanics with authentic cultural content. Digital artifacts—virtual weaving tools, textile samples, and symbolic motifs—are embedded in curated in-game exhibitions modeled on museum displays. The narrative incorporates oral histories and symbol explanations to ground play in Thai textiles and handicraft practice. To support autonomy, a key element of Self-Determination Theory, the game enables non-linear navigation across open-world zones and allows flexible pacing. Non-player characters (NPCs) act as cultural mediators who guide players through contextual stories and reinforce cultural understanding. Figure 1 shows gameplay mechanics that promote autonomy and cultural immersion.
To strengthen competence—another core component of SDT—the game integrates puzzle challenges such as pattern recognition, artifact identification, and device restoration. These tasks encourage deeper thinking and balance difficulty with player skill to promote flow, sustain engagement, and facilitate knowledge retention. Core mechanics focus on exploration, item collection, clue investigation, crafting (repairing or creating items), and interaction with NPCs. Together, these elements create a cultural experience in a digital setting. A guided tutorial supports beginners, and branching storylines offer multiple paths to sustain engagement. The game culminates in a final quest to restore a traditional weaving tool, symbolizing mastery of weaving skills and cultural knowledge acquired throughout play. Figure 2 depicts the narrative and quest structure that reinforces these learning outcomes.
For evaluation, we assessed these design features using quantitative measures. Exploration mechanics, non-linear navigation, and narrative were expected to influence engagement (GEQ), whereas the crafting system (a game mechanic that allows players to create or repair items from resources) and puzzle-based challenges (which foster competence and problem-based learning) were intended to enhance intrinsic motivation (IMI). As shown in Figure 3, the design guide rests on two theoretical foundations—SDT and Flow Theory—which emphasize autonomy, competence, and balanced challenge as key drivers of intrinsic motivation and engagement. These principles translate into design features such as non-linear navigation across open-world zones, puzzle challenges, calibrated difficulty, and the use of NPCs for cultural mediation and branching narratives.
These design features were hypothesized to yield three outcomes: (1) enhanced engagement (immersion, flow, presence), (2) increased intrinsic motivation (enjoyment, perceived competence, value), and (3) strengthened cultural knowledge. We evaluated these outcomes with standardized instruments—the GEQ, the IMI, and a domain-specific pre-/post-knowledge test. By explicitly linking theory, design features, outcomes, and measures, the framework shows how serious games can be systematically designed and assessed for engagement, motivation, and cultural learning. These features formed the basis for the empirical evaluation presented in Section 5.

5. Evaluation

5.1. Demographic and Gameplay Background

The study recruited 30 participants with a balanced gender distribution (46.7% male, 53.3% female). Most (60.0%) were aged 18–21, representing Generation Z—digital natives accustomed to mobile interaction—making them an appropriate sample for evaluating the potential of serious games. Table 1 summarizes the participants’ demographic and gameplay characteristics. A majority of participants reported playing games weekly (50%) or daily (33.3%), with 43.3% of participants spending 5–7 h per week on gameplay (the most common playtime category). Mobile devices were the main platform (66.7%), aligning with broader Generation Z trends, while casual and puzzle games were the most popular genres (46.7%). In other words, these findings indicate that participants typically engaged in light to moderate gaming rather than extensive gaming. Only 20% reported prior exposure to serious or educational games, highlighting the novelty of the Thai-Craft-To-Go experience. Gameplay was primarily single-player (63.3%), although more than one-third of participants also engaged in online or multiplayer modes.
Overall, these demographic and gameplay profiles indicate that the sample primarily consisted of casual players with limited prior experience in serious games. This context is significant because it supports the interpretation that improvements in engagement, intrinsic motivation, and knowledge acquisition can be attributed to the design and content of Thai-Craft-To-Go rather than to pre-existing gaming expertise.

5.2. Game Engagement

Participants’ engagement was evaluated using the 19-item GEQ. Subscale scores were computed for Absorption, Flow, and Presence, with items rated on a 3-point Likert scale (1 = “No”, 2 = “Maybe”, 3 = “Yes”).
As presented in Table 2 and Figure 4, overall engagement was high (M = 2.32, SD = 0.76), with strong internal consistency (α = 0.83). Presence scores were the highest (M = 2.50, SD = 0.06, α = 0.86), indicating that the game successfully created a sense of “being there” in the virtual environment—an essential condition for immersive experiences. Absorption was also high (M = 2.46, SD = 0.25, α = 0.85), reflecting deep concentration and minimal distraction. By contrast, the Flow subscale had a slightly lower mean score (M = 2.15, SD = 0.10). However, it still showed excellent internal consistency (α = 0.91), suggesting that participants experienced an adequate balance between challenge and skill. Nonetheless, despite the game’s success in fostering immersion and concentration, future refinements could adjust the task difficulty to elevate Flow to levels comparable with Absorption and Presence.
Taken together, the GEQ results confirm that Thai-Craft-To-Go effectively fostered strong engagement, particularly in the areas of Presence and Absorption. In addition, these findings align with Flow Theory’s emphasis on an optimal balance between challenge and skill, as well as with Self-Determination Theory’s focus on fostering intrinsically motivating and immersive experiences.

5.3. Intrinsic Motivation

Motivational outcomes were assessed using the adapted 14-item IMI, rated on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = “Not at all true”, 7 = “Very true”). Subscales included Interest/Enjoyment, Perceived Competence, Effort/Importance, and Value/Usefulness. Importantly, the IMI’s extensive validation in learning and motivation research supports its use in evaluating intrinsic motivation in serious game settings.
As shown in Table 3 and Figure 5, overall intrinsic motivation was high (M = 5.05, SD = 1.64), with excellent reliability (α = 0.92). Perceived Competence had the highest mean (M = 5.73, SD = 1.73, α = 0.71), indicating participants felt confident and capable when engaging with the tasks. Value/Usefulness also scored highly (M = 4.99, SD = 1.30, α = 0.75), meaning that participants recognized the educational and cultural relevance of the game beyond its entertainment value. Moreover, the Interest/Enjoyment subscale had a positive mean (M = 4.93, SD = 1.70, α = 0.84), confirming that the experience was enjoyable and engaging. However, Effort/Importance scored slightly lower (M = 4.34, SD = 1.38, α = 0.75). This suggests that although participants enjoyed the game, recognized its value, and felt competent, they did not perceive the experience as requiring sustained effort. This imbalance indicates that while the game excelled at boosting players’ confidence and conveying cultural value, additional game mechanics could be introduced to encourage long-term persistence and deeper involvement.
Overall, these findings demonstrate that Thai-Craft-To-Go effectively fostered intrinsic motivation, particularly through competence and perceived value. Thus, embedding such motivational design features is crucial for maximizing engagement and ensuring the long-term relevance of digital cultural heritage applications.

5.4. Knowledge Outcomes Assessment

Knowledge outcomes were assessed using a 10-item multiple-choice test on Thai traditional textiles and related cultural practices, administered before and after gameplay. The questionnaires were developed in collaboration with experts in the fields to ensure alignment with the game’s learning objectives. Scores ranged from 0 to 10, with higher values indicating greater knowledge.
As presented in Table 4 and Figure 6, participants’ mean scores improved from the pre-test (M = 4.40, SD = 2.13) to the post-test (M = 8.03, SD = 1.35), representing an average gain of 3.63 points. The 95% confidence interval [2.69, 4.57] further indicates that the knowledge gain was both meaningful and reliable. The magnitude of this gain underscores its practical educational value, as participants nearly doubled their scores after gameplay. Given participants’ low baseline knowledge, this substantial improvement reflects the game’s effectiveness in facilitating cultural learning during a brief interactive session.
These findings are consistent with Experiential Learning (Kolb et al., 2014), which emphasizes that active engagement and problem-solving foster deeper cognitive processing and more durable retention of knowledge. By requiring players to restore a traditional loom and solve culturally relevant puzzles, the game effectively operationalized these principles, embedding cultural knowledge within meaningful interactive tasks.
The evaluation results demonstrate that Thai-Craft-To-Go addresses the challenges of engagement, intrinsic motivation, and learning for Generation Z participants. Thus, the results reveal that the game can create immersive, enjoyable, and enriching learning environments while significantly improving participants’ understanding of Thai textiles and handicrafts. Consequently, this serious game has great potential to help small local museums connect with younger audiences and to serve as a valuable tool in preserving and perpetuating intangible cultural heritage.

6. Discussion and Conclusions

The GEQ indicated that Thai-Craft-To-Go created an engaging, immersive gameplay experience, with the highest scores in Presence and Absorption. This suggests that players felt situated in the game world and remained highly focused on activities, aligning with Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow as deep concentration (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990) and research emphasizing the positive role of engagement in learning and knowledge retention (Caserman et al., 2020; Wan et al., 2021). However, the slightly lower Flow score indicates a need to refine the skill–challenge balance to avoid tasks that are either too easy and tedious or overly difficult and discouraging. Prior work reports similar findings, echoing the need to balance challenge and skill (Rashed et al., 2025). Studies on flow in educational games further support this observation (Wan et al., 2021). Beyond these empirical results, the study highlights broader implications for educational game design. It demonstrates that Presence and Absorption can be achieved without high-end VR or AR, emphasizing the importance of visual fidelity. Instead, the findings support research emphasizing the importance of narrative and embodied participation in sustaining engagement (DaCosta & Kinsell, 2022; Oliveira et al., 2022), aligning with the view that interactivity is more crucial to immersion than visual realism (Checa & Bustillo, 2020). Accordingly, immersion can arise from cultural authenticity and opportunities for co-constructed storytelling. This offers practical value for museums with limited resources, showing that engaging cultural experiences need not require costly technological investments.
The intrinsic-motivation results indicate that Thai-Craft-To-Go fostered players’ confidence, recognition of the game’s cultural and educational value, and enjoyment. However, participants scored lower on Effort/Commitment, suggesting they may not have felt a strong need to invest sustained time or energy over the longer term. These results suggest that motivation stemmed more from perceived competence and cultural value than from pure enjoyment, diverging from literature that often positions enjoyment as the primary driver of engagement (L. Li et al., 2024). Evidence from cultural serious games indicates that intrinsic motivation can be shaped by cultural values and engagement (e.g., Marques et al., 2023; Rosser & Soler, 2024). Additionally, UX studies in museums highlight the role of fulfilling competence, autonomy, and relatedness needs in engagement (Lushnikova et al., 2023). Moreover, these findings align with Self-Determination Theory, which identifies competence, autonomy, and relatedness (i.e., finding meaningful value or connection in the activity) as central drivers of intrinsic motivation (Moller et al., 2024; Ryan & Deci, 2000). In this context, competence emerges not only as task mastery but also as a pathway connecting gameplay to heritage appreciation. Thus, competence functions as a form of cultural mediation. This perspective suggests that, in certain contexts, motivation may shift from pleasure to competence and value, providing a broader understanding of how Self-Determination Theory is applied. Nevertheless, the relatively weaker emphasis on effort highlights opportunities to improve design—for example, progression systems, effort-based rewards, or narrative elements that reinforce perseverance.
Knowledge-outcome results indicate that Thai-Craft-To-Go enhanced participants’ understanding of Thai textiles and handicraft practices, consistent with the observed improvements. These results underscore the effectiveness of game-based activities as tools for cultural learning. This aligns with research indicating that digital-heritage games can promote both knowledge acquisition and engagement, particularly when content is meaningfully integrated (Rizvic et al., 2019). Consistent with Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb et al., 2014), Thai-Craft-To-Go translated abstract cultural knowledge into participatory experiences. (Kolb et al., 2014), the design of Thai-Craft-To-Go translated abstract cultural knowledge into participatory experiences. This approach facilitated deeper processing and retention by engaging players in active, hands-on tasks rather than passive exposure. Beyond factual learning, participants reported increased appreciation for the cultural value of Thai textiles and handicrafts, echoing findings that gamified heritage experiences can cultivate emotional connection alongside cognitive gains (Marques et al., 2023; Rosser & Soler, 2024). Taken together, these findings reinforce the dual role of serious games as educational and cultural mediators. Although flagship institutions often rely on resource-intensive digital installations to achieve immersion (Calvi & Vermeeren, 2024; L. Li et al., 2024), this study demonstrates solutions that foreground authenticity and narrative. Such approaches show how smaller museums, even with limited resources, can innovate through cost-effective yet engaging game-based experiences that inform and inspire.
This study advances the science contributions in four ways. First, it specifies a replicable design framework that integrates SDT and Flow Theory, linking user experience metrics (Presence, Absorption, Flow) to intrinsic-motivation components (competence, value, effort). Second, it identifies a motivational profile in which perceived competence and cultural/educational value outweigh pure enjoyment for Generation Z, positioning competence as a form of cultural mediation that routes task mastery into heritage appreciation. Third, it provides empirical evidence that high Presence and Absorption can be achieved without costly VR/AR when authenticity-forward, narrative-driven, and embodied-participation principles are prioritized, thereby tempering technological determinism in immersion research. Fourth, by combining pre–post knowledge gains with experiential metrics, the study clarifies how engagement translates into deeper processing and retention in resource-constrained museum contexts, yielding a practical, low-cost model that can be adopted and scaled by small museums.
While this study presents promising findings, it is important to acknowledge its several limitations. The sample was small (n = 30) and drawn from a specific demographic—Generation Z Museum visitors in Thailand—engaging with a single museum (NaMuenSri Museum) and one cultural domain (Thai textiles) through a single serious game prototype. These factors constrain external validity by cohort (age band, digital nativity), setting, and scope. Additionally, the short-term evaluation precludes drawing conclusions about long-term engagement or knowledge retention. Furthermore, the current exploratory design focused on validating theoretical outcomes (engagement, motivation, knowledge) and, as such, a dedicated formal analysis of User Experience (UX) and detailed Usability metrics, as well as an interpretation of the full user journey, were outside the scope but remain crucial for future refinement and practical deployment. Future research should recruit larger and more diverse samples, ideally using probability or stratified sampling across age groups. It should also implement multisite studies (e.g., urban versus rural settings, different museum typologies) and test cross-cultural generalizability with other forms of intangible heritage. It would also be valuable to incorporate multiplayer or social features to address relatedness within Self-Determination Theory, and to conduct longitudinal follow-ups to assess knowledge retention and sustained motivation over time.
In conclusion, this study addressed the challenges small local museums face in engaging younger audiences by developing and evaluating Thai-Craft-To-Go, a mobile serious game informed by Self-Determination Theory and Flow Theory. Using a research-and-development methodology, the game was evaluated with Generation Z visitors and was found to enhance engagement, intrinsic motivation, and cultural knowledge, particularly regarding Thai textiles and handicrafts. Participants reported stronger feelings of presence and competence, and pre- and post-test measures indicated substantial learning gains. Overall, these findings provide preliminary evidence that serious games can revitalize small local museums and support the intergenerational transmission of intangible cultural heritage, offering an accessible pathway for cultural preservation and informal learning.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, S.C.-A. and S.P.; methodology, S.C.-A.; software, S.C.-A.; validation, S.C.-A. and S.P.; formal analysis, S.C.-A.; investigation, S.C.-A.; resources, S.C.-A. and S.P.; data curation, S.C.-A.; writing—original draft preparation, S.C.-A.; writing—review and editing, S.C.-A.; visualization, S.C.-A.; supervision, S.C.-A.; project administration, S.C.-A.; funding acquisition, S.C.-A. and S.P. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was financially supported by Prince of Songkla University, with additional support from the Faculty of Science and Industrial Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Surat Thani Campus.

Institutional Review Board Statement

The study was conducted and approved by the Research Ethical Committee of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (W.08/2024, 10 February 2024).

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author due to privacy restrictions.

Acknowledgments

The authors express their sincere gratitude for the financial support provided by Prince of Songkla University and the Faculty of Science and Industrial Technology, Surat Thani Campus. Special acknowledgment is also extended to the Namuensri Weaving Museum (Trang Province) for providing the data utilized in this study.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Figure 1. Gameplay mechanics that promote autonomy and cultural immersion.
Figure 1. Gameplay mechanics that promote autonomy and cultural immersion.
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Figure 2. Narrative and quest structure reinforcing learning outcomes.
Figure 2. Narrative and quest structure reinforcing learning outcomes.
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Figure 3. Design and evaluation guide for Thai-Craft-To-Go.
Figure 3. Design and evaluation guide for Thai-Craft-To-Go.
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Figure 4. GEQ subscale scores.
Figure 4. GEQ subscale scores.
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Figure 5. IMI subscale scores.
Figure 5. IMI subscale scores.
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Figure 6. Pre- and Post-Test Knowledge Scores.
Figure 6. Pre- and Post-Test Knowledge Scores.
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Table 1. Demographic and Gameplay Background.
Table 1. Demographic and Gameplay Background.
VariableCategory%
GenderMale46.7%
Female53.3%
Age Range18–21 years60.0%
22–25 years40.0%
Gameplay FrequencyDaily33.3%
Weekly50.0%
Occasionally (monthly)16.7%
Preferred PlatformMobile66.7%
PC23.3%
Console10.0%
Experience with Digital or Computer GamesYes30.0%
No70.0%
Average Gameplay Hours (per week)1–4 h30.0
5–7 h43.3
8+ h26.7
Preferred Game GenresCasual/Puzzle46.7
Role-Playing (RPG)26.7
Simulation/Strategy16.7
Others (Sports/Action)10.0
Experience with Serious/Educational GamesYes20.0
No80.0
Gameplay ContextMostly single-player63.3
Single and multiplayer36.7
Table 2. Descriptive statistics for GEQ subscales (N = 30).
Table 2. Descriptive statistics for GEQ subscales (N = 30).
SubscaleNo. of ItemsMeans 1SDCronbach’s α 2
Absorption72.460.250.85
Flow92.150.100.91
Presence42.500.060.86
Overall192.320.760.83
1 Scores were measured on a 3-point Likert scale (1 = No, 2 = Maybe, 3 = Yes). 2 Higher scores indicate greater engagement. Cronbach’s α ≥ 0.70 is acceptable, ≥0.80 is good, and ≥0.90 is excellent.
Table 3. Descriptive statistics for IMI subscales (N = 30).
Table 3. Descriptive statistics for IMI subscales (N = 30).
SubscaleNo. of ItemsM 1SDCronbach’s α 2
Interest/Enjoyment44.931.700.84
Perceived Competence45.731.730.71
Effort/Importance34.341.380.75
Value/Usefulness34.991.300.75
Overall 145.051.640.92
1 Scores were measured on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Not at all true) to 7 (Very true). 2 Higher scores indicate greater engagement. Cronbach’s α ≥ 0.70 is acceptable, ≥0.80 is good, and ≥0.90 is excellent.
Table 4. Pre- and post-test knowledge scores (N = 30).
Table 4. Pre- and post-test knowledge scores (N = 30).
TestMeanSD
Pre-test4.402.13
Post-test8.031.35
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Chai-Arayalert, S.; Puttinaovarat, S. Fostering Visitor Engagement Through Serious Game-Based Mediation in Small Local Museums. Tour. Hosp. 2025, 6, 218. https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp6040218

AMA Style

Chai-Arayalert S, Puttinaovarat S. Fostering Visitor Engagement Through Serious Game-Based Mediation in Small Local Museums. Tourism and Hospitality. 2025; 6(4):218. https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp6040218

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chai-Arayalert, Supaporn, and Supattra Puttinaovarat. 2025. "Fostering Visitor Engagement Through Serious Game-Based Mediation in Small Local Museums" Tourism and Hospitality 6, no. 4: 218. https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp6040218

APA Style

Chai-Arayalert, S., & Puttinaovarat, S. (2025). Fostering Visitor Engagement Through Serious Game-Based Mediation in Small Local Museums. Tourism and Hospitality, 6(4), 218. https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp6040218

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