Visitors’ Perception of Sanxingdui Museum’s Best-Selling Cultural and Creative Products: Insights from the Narrative Functions Framework

Understanding visitor perception is crucial for enhancing the design and impact of modern museum products. This study employs the narrative function framework to examine visitors' perceptions of museum cultural and creative products (MCCPs) in the new exhibition hall of the Sanxingdui Museum in GuangHan, China. Utilizing an exploratory qualitative research approach, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 visitors. Through deductive and inductive analysis, 17 perception types were identified under seven key narrative functions. The purpose of this study is to provide a more comprehensive understanding of visitors' perceptions of modern museum products. The key findings highlight that modern visitors seek both efficient information acquisition and authentic experiences in MCCPs, with increasing emphasis on interactive engagement, a sense of achievement, and healing alongside traditional aesthetic appreciation. These insights enhance the understanding of museum product narratives and visitor engagement, providing valuable guidance for improving museum product design and narrative strategies to create more engaging and memorable visitor experiences.