Mapping the visitor journey of older visitors in a gallery: a case study

Population aging has far-reaching implications for cultural institutions. While accessibility initiatives have traditionally focused on physical barriers, less attention has been paid to how older visitors experience museums and galleries across the full visit. This qualitative case study examines the visitor journey of 18 older adults in a regional gallery in Czechia using pre-visit interviews, shadowing, walkthrough observation, and post-visit interviews. Findings identify recurring friction points related to pre-visit information, wayfinding, interpretation, digital interaction, and opportunities for rest, alongside varied modes of engagement. Rather than identifying barriers unique to older adults, the study shows how ordinary design frictions may have differentiated effects when visitor capacities and institutional environments are poorly aligned. Mapping these mismatches across pre-visit, on-site, and post-visit stages demonstrates the value of visitor journey mapping for linking lived experience with organisational and policy conditions. The study frames accessibility as a dynamic relationship between visitor capacities and institutional design.