“Definite Renewal”: Emotional and attention impacts of rest spaces in museums

Authors:

• Sophia Myers, Museology Graduate Program
• Chair: Jessica Luke
• Gregory Bratman
• Keith Harris

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Abstract:

Dedicated areas for visitors to rest, recharge, and reflect on their experiences are rare in museums, but such features are becoming more common and have been included by several notable institutions. Currently, there is little research exploring how these spaces impact museum visitors. The purpose of this survey study was to explore what drew adult museum visitors to use dedicated rest spaces, and how time spent in them impacted visitors’ emotional states and attentiveness. Sixty-eight adults were interviewed at two museums after spending three minutes or more in a dedicated rest space. Many visitors reported feeling calm during their time in the rest spaces, and cited specific design and curatorial choices that contributed to this impact. About a quarter of adults reported that they felt their attention had improved after their rest time; another quarter cited restorative impacts unrelated to attention; and the remaining half were uncertain or reported no change. These findings indicate that dedicated rest spaces have the potential to foster feelings of calm and increase attentiveness, which could help facilitate learning in museums.