Abstract In an effort to meet changing visitor needs, the Mutare Museum modernised its Beit Gallery, which presents the traditional, agricultural, healing, musical and religious practices of the Eastern Shona people through digital technology. This new display in the gallery was inaugurated to counter the decreasing numbers of visitors over the years (2000‐2015). As many visitors regretted the absence of interactive experiences within the existing exhibitions, multiple digital presentation and interpretation methods, such as videos, audios, animation, computer interactive devices and flipbooks, were introduced, in an attempt to satisfy their expectations. In this article, we will assess the impact of digital technology on audience experience and growth at Mutare Museum. We will show that, although the introduction of digital technology may have satisfied some visitors, audience growth and loyalty at the museum continued to decline. We argue that when digital technology is employed as an end rather than as a means, the impact will be minimal. Mutare Museum was grappling with the fundamental issues faced by many cultural institutions today: accessibility, high entrances fees, inadequate government funding, low visibility, competition with other attractions, inadequate and poor storage facilities. From our analysis, it became clear that the introduction of digital technology alone was not sufficient to boost audience loyalty and growth, and that a holistic analysis of the museum's fundamental issues was required.

中文翻译：

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数字技术：改善游客体验和观众增长的灵丹妙药？

摘要 为了满足不断变化的游客需求，穆塔雷博物馆对其贝特画廊进行了现代化改造，该画廊通过数字技术展示了东绍纳人的传统、农业、治疗、音乐和宗教习俗。画廊的这个新展览是为了应对多年来（2000-2015 年）游客人数的减少而开设的。由于很多参观者对现有展览中缺乏互动体验感到遗憾，因此引入了视频、音频、动画、计算机交互设备和翻书等多种数字呈现和解释方式，以满足他们的期望。在本文中，我们将评估数字技术对穆塔雷博物馆观众体验和成长的影响。我们将证明，尽管数字技术的引入可能让一些参观者感到满意，但博物馆的观众增长和忠诚度继续下降。我们认为，当数字技术被用作目的而不是手段时，影响将是最小的。Mutare 博物馆正在努力解决当今许多文化机构面临的基本问题：可及性、入场费高、政府资金不足、知名度低、与其他景点竞争、存储设施不足和不良。根据我们的分析，很明显，仅引入数字技术不足以提高观众忠诚度和增长，需要对博物馆的基本问题进行全面分析。我们认为，当数字技术被用作目的而不是手段时，影响将是最小的。Mutare 博物馆正在努力解决当今许多文化机构面临的基本问题：可达性、入场费高、政府资金不足、知名度低、与其他景点的竞争、存储设施不足和不良。根据我们的分析，很明显，仅引入数字技术不足以提高观众忠诚度和增长，需要对博物馆的基本问题进行全面分析。我们认为，当数字技术被用作目的而不是手段时，影响将是最小的。Mutare 博物馆正在努力解决当今许多文化机构面临的基本问题：可及性、入场费高、政府资金不足、知名度低、与其他景点竞争、存储设施不足和不良。根据我们的分析，很明显，仅引入数字技术不足以提高观众忠诚度和增长，需要对博物馆的基本问题进行全面分析。与其他景点竞争，存储设施不足和差。根据我们的分析，很明显，仅引入数字技术不足以提高观众忠诚度和增长，需要对博物馆的基本问题进行全面分析。与其他景点竞争，存储设施不足和差。根据我们的分析，很明显，仅引入数字技术不足以提高观众忠诚度和增长，需要对博物馆的基本问题进行全面分析。