Interactive Experience Design in History Museums Based on Distributed Cognition :Focusing on the Case of History Museums in China

In the rapid development of experience economy, the cultural experience environment of history museums is gradually enriched, and the interactive experience of museum visitors becomes more and more important.Distributed cognition theory is one of the cognitive theories that emphasize the interaction between the cognitive subject and the environment as a complete system, which precisely solves the problem of a single cognitive approach in traditional history museums due to the limited function and participation.This study aimed to redefine the interactive experiential elements of museums in conjunction with distributed cognition theory in order to enhance visitor interaction and experience.The scope of the study was limited to the experiential elements of history museums and the interactive experience processes based on distributed cognition (content interaction, instrumental interaction and contextual interaction), and the main methodology used was a case study.The types of guiding devices, the five senses of experience, and the ways of interactive experience based on them were analyzed in three museums: the Forbidden City Museum in Beijing, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum in Qin Shi Huang, and the Dunhuang Museum.Various design approaches that help enhance visitors' sensory experience and engagement are demonstrated.Results of the study showed that the elements of interactive experience design for history museums under the distributed cognition theory and explains how these elements affect the feelings and experiences of museum visitors.Each of the three museums in the case study underperformed in their respective cognitive, interactive and experiential elements.Based on these findings, it is necessary to add and enrich the interactive experience elements for the five senses of museum visitors' experience.To make the cognitive process of museum visitors more fluid.The study concludes that interactive experience design based on distributed cognition theory improves visitor engagement but also opens up new possibilities for interactive and educational experiences in history museums.This study highlights the need for museums to adapt to modern technological trends and cognitive theories in order to remain relevant and engaged in the digital age.Ultimately, this thesis contributes to the wider field of design by demonstrating the practical applications and benefits of distributed cognitive theory in creating more dynamic, interactive, and personalised museum experiences.