Digital Transformation and User Experience in Virtual Museums

An Exploratory Study with Generation Z in MAN Virtual

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62161/revvisual.v18.6238

Keywords:

Digital transformation, Virtual museums, User experience, Accessibility, Generation Z, iImmersive environments, Cultural heritage

Abstract

This study examines the digital transformation of museums through an analysis of user experience (UX), accessibility, and usability in virtual environments, focusing on Generation Z’s interaction with MAN Virtual, the digital platform of the National Archaeological Museum of Spain. Adopting an exploratory quantitative design, the research investigates how narrative coherence, interface design, and device choice influence engagement, presence, and satisfaction. Results indicate that while participants report high usability and visual coherence, the sense of immersion varies depending on the interactivity and emotional appeal of the environment. The findings highlight the growing importance of user-centered design and accessibility principles in the digital heritage field, emphasizing the need to create inclusive, emotionally resonant, and educationally effective virtual experiences for emerging museum audiences.

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Author Biographies

Oliver Carrero Márquez, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Currently a professor in the Department of Marketing at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, he has also served as academic staff at Villanueva Internacional and ESIC Universidad. He holds a PhD in Audiovisual Communication and is accredited as a tenured university professor, with an active six-year research evaluation period. Among his most recent publications related to museums (2025) are “Museums and Generation Z: The Use of New Narratives in the Current Digital Cultural Paradigm in Mexico and Spain” (Revista Mediterránea de Comunicación) and “The Use of Instagram as a Tool for Cultural Dissemination and Participation: An Analysis of Posts by the Museo Nacional del Prado, Musée du Louvre, and the National Gallery” (Disertaciones). A blind peer reviewer for high-impact journals, he has more than 20 years of experience as a lecturer and researcher.

Juan Enrique Gonzálvez Vallés, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

PhD in Information Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid and holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Theories and Analysis at the Complutense University of Madrid, where he teaches Communication Psychology and Hypermedia Narrative. Previously, he was a member of the Department of Audiovisual Communication and Advertising at CEU San Pablo University; there, he taught various courses and served as the coordinator of the #CORRSS Digital Communication platform, managing social media for the Faculty of Humanities and Communication Sciences.

He is the President of the Mens et Corda Scientific Association, the organizing body of the International Congress for the Dissemination of Scientific and Innovative Production (CODIPROCIN). Additionally, he serves as the Editor of the Revista de Ciencias de la Comunicación e Información (Journal of Communication and Information Sciences) and the outreach magazine La Mecedora Divulga.

In the professional sphere, he has worked for several media outlets and coordinated the BBVA Sponsorship and Communication project: "Yo Subo con Carlos Soria." He also served as the Social Media Manager for CEU San Pablo University and as the Community Manager for its Faculty of Humanities and Communication Sciences.

Lidia López Mena, ESIC Universidad

She is currently a university professor at ESIC Universidad (Madrid) and has previously served as academic staff (PDI) at Villanueva Internacional. She holds a Master’s degree in User Experience Design and a Bachelor’s degree in Digital Graphic Design. She has over 17 years of teaching experience in digital design, visual communication, and audiovisual storytelling, and teaches courses related to UX/UI, digital graphic design, and audiovisual tools. Her research interests focus on user experience, digital literacy, audiovisual storytelling, and design pedagogy. Her publications include “Twitch: Towards a ‘Cinematic’ Form of Journalism,” “RTVE, Starting Over: The Digital Transformation of Public Service Broadcasting,” and “Digitising a SME with Over a Century of History: A Case Study of the Antigua Relojería de la Calle de la Sal.”

 

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Published

2026-04-30

How to Cite

Carrero Márquez, O., Gonzálvez Vallés, J. E., & López Mena, L. (2026). Digital Transformation and User Experience in Virtual Museums: An Exploratory Study with Generation Z in MAN Virtual. VISUAL REVIEW. International Visual Culture Review Revista Internacional De Cultura Visual, 18(3), 37–53. https://doi.org/10.62161/revvisual.v18.6238

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 3 (2026)

Section

Research articles

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