How Understanding the Brain Can Elevate Experiences
By Mark Woodward & Federica Busa
Why do some visitor experiences leave a lasting impression, while others fade into forgetfulness? The answer lies in the brain, not just in the content.
At the heart of memorable visitor experiences, whether in museums, cultural destinations, or branded environments, is a powerful neurological cocktail of emotion, memory, and attention. The latest insights from neuroscience offer valuable lessons for experiential designers and planners seeking to engage, inspire, and retain audiences.
Our brains remember emotionally charged experiences far better than neutral ones – when an experience triggers an emotional response like awe, joy, curiosity, or even surprise, the brain flags it as important and stores it more deeply in memory.
So how can we use this knowledge to design for better visitor experiences?
Approach One: We can design for emotion first, information second. Traditional exhibits often prioritise facts and artefacts, but the brain doesn’t work that way. We are wired to respond emotionally before we process data. Instead of starting with labels, start with storytelling. Frame information in narratives that spark empathy or wonder. A clay pot may be intriguing, but when we hear about a Bedouin’s desperate struggle for survival upon finding that very pot, left with others on a special frame to aid travellers, it transforms into a saga that stays with us.
Approach Two: Use the power of surprise. The brain is a prediction machine, and it loves patterns, so it pays attention when those patterns are broken. A sudden shift in lighting, a hidden reveal, or an interactive element that responds unexpectedly can jolt attention and increase engagement. Surprise also stimulates dopamine, a neurochemical that enhances memory and motivation. We have used ‘surprise’ to enrich a children’s playground with a digital overlay whilst staying true to the theme.
Approach Three: Make it personal & participatory. Memory is strengthened when experiences feel personally relevant, and people remember interactive exhibits and these draw more interest than non-interactive. Interactive installations, digital interfaces, or even simple decision points (i.e. “choose your path”) create a sense of agency, activating brain regions tied to ownership and long-term recall.
So, think about ways to allow visitors to make choices, contribute stories, or shape the journey. We recall a conversation with exhibition expert Charles Pappas, where he explained that “…interactive exhibits always drew in more people…”. To connect communities and citizens to an international event we used culturally relevant stories and turned them in to public realm activations.
As we design environments for learning, inspiration, or entertainment, understanding the brain is not just an academic exercise, but a practical necessity in visitor experience. By tapping into the neuroscience of engagement, experiential designers and planners can move beyond “what visitors saw” to “what visitors felt, remembered, and shared.”
It’s not just about what is on display, it’s about what stays in the mind.
Explore the future of Visitor Experience planning management and design, combining Neuroscience to create new approaches and new tools at Busa woodward.
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