MUGArtS: What Makes Museums and Galleries More Welcoming for Seniors?

Summary

The MUGArtS survey shows that many seniors are interested in cultural life, but participation depends on more than motivation. Museums and galleries become more welcoming when visits are accessible, socially supported, clearly explained and connected with stories that make artworks meaningful.

Keywords: adult education; active ageing; cultural participation; museums; galleries; accessibility; inclusion; peer learning; cultural ambassadors

Why MUGArtS looked at senior engagement

MUGArtS - Cultural Ambassadors: Redefining Adult Education in Cultural Spaces explores how seniors can become more active, confident and visible participants in cultural life. The project focuses on museums, galleries and other cultural spaces not only as places for exhibitions, but also as learning environments where older adults can share experience, build social connections and support peers who may be hesitant to participate.

As part of Activity A2.2, project partners collected evidence directly from seniors aged 55+ in Bulgaria, Greece, Lithuania and Romania. The purpose was to understand what motivates seniors to visit museums and galleries, what stops them from participating more often, and what kind of support would make cultural engagement easier and more meaningful.

This article presents the main cross-country insights from the joint analysis. It is written for adult educators, museum and gallery staff, community organisations and project partners interested in active ageing, inclusion and cultural participation.

Method in brief

The joint analysis is based on 114 completed questionnaires collected between 25 March and 27 April 2026. Responses came from Lithuania (28), Greece (25), Bulgaria (36) and Romania (25). The survey was implemented by EDUPRO, MOSAIC, ARTIED and Bucovina Institute using a common questionnaire.

The findings should be read as an indicative cross-country snapshot rather than a statistical representation of all seniors in the four countries. The sample is especially useful because most respondents already have some connection with cultural activities. This means the results show what can help people who are close to participation, but still need better support, confidence or accessibility.

Key data at a glance

Indicator	Main result
Total questionnaires	114 responses from four countries
Age groups	47.4% aged 55-64, 43.0% aged 65-74, and 9.6% aged 75+
Place of residence	67.2% urban, 17.6% semi-urban, and 15.1% rural
Museum/gallery attendance	52.7% visit at least every 2-3 months; 32.5% visit 1-2 times per year
Feeling welcome	73.9% feel very or mostly welcome and included
Interest in Cultural Ambassador role	50.9% are very or quite interested; 27.5% are not sure

What the survey tells us

1. Seniors are culturally motivated, but participation is shaped by practical conditions

The survey shows that seniors do not need to be convinced that culture matters. Most respondents already visit museums or galleries at least once or twice a year, and more than half visit at least every few months. The strongest reason for visiting is the enjoyment of art, culture and heritage, followed by the wish to learn something new and spend meaningful time outside the home.

However, this interest does not automatically lead to frequent participation. Access, comfort, transport, time, finances, information and social company all influence whether a visit actually happens. For many seniors, the question is not simply whether they like museums, but whether the experience feels manageable, relevant and welcoming enough.

2. Stories matter more than academic information

A clear message across countries is that seniors are most engaged when artworks and objects are connected with stories. Respondents valued the stories behind artworks, clear explanations in simple language, and enough time to look slowly and reflect. This does not mean that cultural content should be simplified in a superficial way. Rather, it should be interpreted through human, historical and emotional context that allows older visitors to connect knowledge with lived experience.

For museums and galleries, this is an important pedagogical insight. Seniors respond well to interpretation that respects their intelligence while avoiding unnecessary complexity. A good cultural activity can combine clarity, depth and emotional resonance.

3. Accessibility must be understood broadly

Physical accessibility remains a central barrier, especially where mobility, seating, rest areas or building layout create difficulties. Financial accessibility also appeared in open comments, with respondents mentioning ticket costs and lack of finances as deterrents. These barriers show that inclusion cannot rely only on good intentions; it requires concrete conditions that allow seniors to participate with dignity.

The analysis also highlights digital and linguistic accessibility. Digital barriers can affect how seniors find information, register for activities, or engage with online materials. In the Romanian sample, which included Ukrainian respondents, language-related barriers were especially important: a lack of translated information or guidance can make cultural participation difficult even when physical access is available.

In practice, senior-friendly cultural inclusion means combining accessible spaces, clear information, affordable opportunities, multilingual support where needed, and alternative ways of engaging for those who are less confident digitally.

4. The Cultural Ambassador role is attractive when it is low-pressure and well supported

Half of the respondents expressed interest in becoming Cultural Ambassadors who encourage other seniors to engage with museums and galleries, while more than one quarter were unsure. This shows potential, but also a need for careful role design. Many seniors are open to contributing, but not necessarily to taking on formal facilitation or leadership responsibilities immediately.

The most comfortable tasks were sharing information about events, inviting other seniors, welcoming participants and supporting hesitant people. Tasks such as leading discussions or supporting small-group activities were less popular. This suggests that the ambassador role should begin with peer connection, encouragement and social invitation, not with high-pressure public speaking or expert-level guidance.

The data points to a realistic model of senior participation: seniors can be powerful connectors when they are supported to act as trusted peers rather than expected to perform as professional educators.

5. Training and cultural activities should be practical, social and confidence-building

When asked about support needs, seniors prioritised practical training, step-by-step guidance, opportunities to practise before real-life situations, support from museum staff and the possibility to act together with another person. These preferences show that confidence grows through experience, modelling and companionship.

The preferred training formats also support this conclusion. Demonstrations with examples, hands-on practical activities and face-to-face learning with others were more attractive than self-paced online learning. A blended format can be useful, but fully independent digital learning is unlikely to be the most effective entry point for many seniors.

For adult educators, this confirms the value of experiential learning. Seniors benefit from seeing examples, trying out small tasks, discussing in groups and receiving reassurance before taking on visible roles in cultural settings.

Practical implications for museums, galleries and adult educators

The findings suggest several practical directions for cultural institutions and adult learning providers that want to strengthen senior participation:

Survey insight	What this means in practice
Seniors value stories and clear interpretation.	Use narrative-based explanations, human context, personal stories, object histories and guided reflection rather than overly technical information.
Physical comfort is essential.	Provide seating, breaks, clear routes, accessible entrances, readable signage and realistic pacing during visits.
Participation is easier with social support.	Offer group visits, peer invitations, welcoming roles and low-pressure activities that help seniors come together.
Confidence is a barrier for some seniors.	Start with small ambassador tasks such as sharing information, inviting peers or welcoming participants before moving to more active roles.
Digital access cannot be assumed.	Provide printed information, simple registration options and assisted digital access, especially for seniors who are less confident online.
Language and culture influence inclusion.	Where relevant, offer translated materials, multilingual guidance or intercultural mediation so that displaced or migrant seniors are not excluded.

A wider lesson: from access to belonging

The MUGArtS analysis shows that seniors’ cultural participation cannot be reduced to attendance numbers. A senior may enter a museum and still remain a passive observer if the space does not invite dialogue, offer comfort, or connect content with personal meaning. True inclusion begins when seniors feel that cultural spaces are not only open to them, but also shaped with their needs, voices and experiences in mind.

For adult education, the findings highlight museums and galleries as valuable learning environments for active ageing. They can support curiosity, memory, social connection, civic participation and intergenerational understanding. The Cultural Ambassador approach adds another layer: seniors can become bridges between cultural institutions and peers who might otherwise remain outside cultural life.

The next challenge is to translate these insights into practical, accessible and respectful learning experiences. If museums and galleries combine narrative interpretation, physical and linguistic accessibility, peer support and confidence-building opportunities, they can become stronger spaces of belonging for older adults.

About the MUGArtS analysis

The joint analysis was prepared within the Erasmus+ KA2 MUGArtS project (No. 2025-1-LT01-KA220-ADU-000354739). It brings together questionnaire results from seniors aged 55+ in Lithuania, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania. The analysis was carried out by VšĮ EDUKACINIAI PROJEKTAI, MOSAIC, ARTIED and Bucovina Institute and is used to strengthen evidence-based planning of senior-friendly cultural learning activities.

Co-funded by the European Union.