2024/03/10 by Pourrahimi, Shima, Oryani Nezhad, Reza
Engineering · Neuroscience · Arts and Humanities · #Spatial Cognition and Navigation #Aesthetic Perception and Analysis #Museums and Cultural Heritage
paper · doi:10.57647/j.ccd.2025.0803.17
Aims Museums communicate cultural evolution through spatial experience, yet contemporary museum architecture often underplays audience engagement. This study examines how enigmatic architectural components (lighting, color, message flow, signs, navigation, text/scripts, labels/panels, display cases, and graphics) affect audience perception across age groups at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA). Methodology A structured questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale was administered to 373 visitors, sampled by age clusters (20-40, 40-60, 60-80). Internal consistency was verified (Cronbach’s α = 0.726, 9 variables). Data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive indices and fit/contribution indicators reported as R², β, t, and F. Findings For ages 20-40, the highest contribution relates to message flow ; for 40-60, text/scripts contribute most; and for 60–80, graphics dominate. Navigation consistently shows lower contributions relative to other components. Conclusion Audience sensitivity to architectural-environmental cues is age-dependent at TMoCA. Designers should prioritize narrative flow for younger adults, plain and legible texts for middle-aged visitors, and strong, accessible graphics for older adults; wayfinding requires targeted improvement across cohorts.