Abstract

Interaction is one of the features of this age; people communicate and share their personal thoughts and opinions much faster and easier than before, information is widely accessible, and online search engines can take the user around the world in five minutes. On the other hand, most of the traditional museums that were built in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century are not up to speed with the lifestyle of their visitors. Accordingly, people started to turn their backs on museums for other exciting experiences. This research analyzes hands-on, participatory and multisensory approaches as the common ones used in currently established museums, with special mention of children and science museums as pioneers of interactivity. Mahmoud Mokhtar Museum was chosen as a case study for this research. For many years, this museum suffered from negligence, despite its importance as a record for one of the pioneers of modern Egyptian art and the era during which he lived. The proposed development plan concentrates on the orientation phase in the museum by introducing four interactive installations to guide visitors through the permanent collection. The proposal also suggests a diversity of interactive and participatory experiences for the tour phase, taking into consideration their relation to the three discussed interactive approaches: hands-on, participatory, and multisensory.