Understanding visitors' leisure benefits and heritage meaning-making: a case study of Liangzhu Culture Museum. Issue 6 (2nd November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Yingchun; Liu, Huimei
• Is Part Of: Leisure studies. Volume 40:Issue 6(2021)
• Page Start: 872
• Page End: 887
• Publication Date: 2021-11-02
• Subjects: Leisure benefits -- heritage-meaning making -- Liangzhu Culture Museum; Leisure -- Periodicals; Recreation -- Periodicals; 306.4805
• DOI: 10.1080/02614367.2021.1942521
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0261-4367

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper aims to extend understanding of visitors' leisure benefits in relation to their meaning-making of heritage through qualitative interviews conducted at Liangzhu Culture Museum (an archaeological world heritage site in Hangzhou, China). Semi-structured interview with 68 museum visitors was conducted to explore their personal, contextual, and interactive interpretations of leisure and heritage meaning-making. The study found four main types of leisure benefits gained from visiting this museum: recreation; learning and education; relationship enhancement; and affection towards the community. It showed that the perceived leisure benefits of some visitors aligned with the museum's officially represented heritage meaning and value; while those of others were intimately linked to their personal memories, collective identities, and sense of place. This study contributes to a better understanding of heritage museum visitation as a leisure activity; visitors' perceptions of the meaning of leisure in the Chinese heritage museum context; and the link between visitors' heritage meaning-making and their leisure experiences.