When we visit a museum, we tend to think of the artwork or historical object as the main event. But another element quietly guides our experience: the small captions placed just beside them. A new study conducted at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is exploring exactly how powerful these captions can be, not only in shaping what we think about a cultural object but also how we feel and how our bodies and brains respond while viewing it.
In collaboration with colleagues from the Politecnico di Torino (POLITO), who bring extensive experience working with museum professionals and cultural institutions, the team designed a study aimed to understand how different styles of text influence the way we engage with cultural heritage.
Four Ways of Describing the Same Image
To investigate how caption style affects museum experiences, researchers created four versions of captions for a series of cultural heritage images. The images remained exactly the same, only the accompanying text changed.
The categories were:
- Factual captions
These resemble the labels most of us see in museums today, offering straightforward information.
Example: “Photo of archaeological excavations in Egypt, 1906.”
- Open keywords
Single words or short phrases loosely related to the theme of the image. These captions invite viewers to interpret freely.
Examples: “Opposition,” “Courage,” “Entertainment,” “Silence.”
- Reflective questions
Prompts that encourage visitors to think more deeply or personally about the image.
Example: “What seems normal to us today and won’t in the future?”
- Empowering phrases
Short sentences meant to boost confidence.
Example: “You are doing something meaningful even if you don’t know it yet.”
By keeping the images constant and only changing the captions, the researchers might be able to pinpoint how much influence the text alone has on our perception and emotional experience.
Measuring How Captions Change Us
After viewing each caption type condition, participants completed brief questionnaires. These asked how pleasant or unpleasant the images felt, how informative the captions were, whether the experience was exciting or calming, and whether it evoked awe or confidence.
In addition, the study also captured participants’ movement and neural responses during the experience. Brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG), which measures electrical patterns in the brain, while postural responses were collected through a sensitive force plate that detects subtle shifts in balance and body movement as participants viewed the images. In addition, physiological responses were measured with a wristband that tracks skin conductance, a signal associated with emotional arousal.
This combination of methods can allow researchers to compare what people say they feel with what their bodies and brains show, giving multidimensional insights of how museum captions guide our engagement.
What Comes Next?
The data for this study have just been collected, and analysis is now underway. Once results are available, they will inform the broader META-MUSEUM project and help guide future experiments not only in museum environments but also in educational and clinical settings. Understanding how different forms of text interact with visual cultural heritage may help museums design more meaningful, accessible, and emotionally engaging experiences for diverse audiences.
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