Abstract:
As one of the major lifelong learning possibilities outside the education system, museums have
always been an important venue to the public. Throughout their long history, there has been a
major shift in museology from being a collections-centered museum to a visitor-centered museum
in recent years. As China develops economically, museums have become greater in number, size,
and scope. However, Chinese museums might neglect the importance of the visitor experience.
With a framework of new museology and models a new participatory museum, this research
project attempts to understand the visitor-centered practice in China through document analysis
and a case study of the Hubei Provincial Museum in Hubei, China. This study intends to understand
the implementation of theory into practices and offer useful recommendations to the museum
professionals in China.