From immersion to donation: neurophysiological evidences on AR/VR museum experiences in Italy and the United States

The measures implemented for museums during the COVID-19 pandemic reduced in-person visits and made access to digital content a strategy for resilience. In this context, many museums accelerated the implementation of new technologies, which were then further consolidated even after the emergency. Meanwhile, the reduction and instability of traditional revenues (e.g., ticket revenue) reinforced the urgency of identifying alternative sources of sustainability, prompting some institutions to test models based on voluntary contributions and donations. However, although donations are a strategic lever, they tend to remain more limited in the cultural sector than in other areas. In Italy, for example, the cultural sector is among the least supported, and cultural organizations are therefore increasing their focus on fundraising, also as a result of recent crises. Even in the United States, despite a strong culture of giving, the arts and culture sector receives a small share of donations. Therefore, this study investigates, using neuroscientific instruments, whether AR and VR experiences introduced in museums as a means of innovation and diversification can more easily trigger behaviors of economic support. Specifically, this study examines how these technologies can increase visitor immersion, measured at the neurophysiological level and defined as a combination of attention and emotional resonance, to test whether higher levels of immersion can result in direct donation behavior and/or a greater intention to donate. Through two field studies conducted in Italy and the United States, traditional visits were compared with visits enriched with AR/VR. The results converge in showing that these technologies can significantly increase immersion during museum visits. However, the link between immersion and donations can vary across cultural contexts. In Italy, the effect was mainly indirect, moving from greater behavioral engagement in the arts to a higher intention to donate. In the United States, by contrast, the immersive experience was more easily translated into immediate donations.