The impact of exhibit anthropomorphism on visitors’ cultural identity when cultural relics tell past stories

Why museum objects are starting to feel more human

Imagine walking into a museum where an ancient warrior figurine looks you in the eye, tells you its life story in the first person, and even speaks in a voice that sounds like someone from its own era. This study explores how such "human-like" exhibit experiences can deepen visitors’ emotional connection to the past and strengthen their sense of belonging to a culture—especially in an age of artificial intelligence and digital media.

Bringing silent artifacts to life

Traditional museums rely on glass cases and printed labels, which can feel distant or dry. In recent years, curators around the world have turned to anthropomorphism—giving objects human traits—to make history more engaging. Exhibits might be drawn with expressive faces, speak in the first person in videos, or talk to visitors through AI-generated voices. The authors argue that this shift changes artifacts from mute objects into story-telling "characters" with feelings, memories, and viewpoints, making it easier for visitors to relate to them.

Three ways objects "act" like people

The researchers break anthropomorphism into three main forms. Visual anthropomorphism uses design—faces, gestures, and body language—to make relics appear more alive while still respecting their historical style. Linguistic anthropomorphism changes the storytelling voice from a distant third-person narrator to a first-person "I," letting the object itself narrate its journey and emotions. Auditory anthropomorphism uses AI-cloned voices with human tone and rhythm so that the story feels as if it is being told by a real person from the object’s world. Each of these channels affects visitors differently, but together they create a richer, more believable encounter with the past.

From watching a poster to entering a story

To test these ideas, the team created dynamic digital posters featuring Tang Dynasty tri-color warrior figurines—famous Chinese ceramic works that symbolize hopes for peace and stability. Using AI image tools and voice cloning, they designed moving images and matching voices for the warriors, then asked 497 adults in China, all with recent museum experience, to watch and listen before completing a detailed questionnaire. The survey measured how strongly visitors perceived the three types of anthropomorphism, how deeply they felt drawn into the story world ("narrative transportation"), their momentary sense of cultural identity, and their comfort with digital media and AI-based content.

How immersion turns curiosity into cultural pride

The analysis shows a clear chain of effects. When exhibits feel more human-like, visitors are more likely to experience narrative transportation—they focus on the story, imagine the scenes, and temporarily lose track of their surroundings. This immersive state, in turn, strongly boosts their cultural identity: they feel closer to the values, history, and community symbolized by the relics. Anthropomorphism has some direct impact on cultural identity, but much of its power works indirectly by pulling people into the narrative. The researchers also find that visitors who are more experienced with digital media gain more from these designs; they navigate the technology with ease, feel less confusion, and can more fully enjoy the storytelling.

Different mixes for different visitors

Beyond simple cause-and-effect, the team uses a configurational analysis to examine which combinations of features reliably lead to high cultural identity. They identify several workable paths. In some settings, strong visual and linguistic anthropomorphism are enough to have an impact, even without rich sound design—useful for posters or short videos. In others, vivid voices combined with basic visuals and good media experience can do the heavy lifting, as in audio tours or voice-driven installations. In immersive formats like VR or interactive exhibits, blending all three modes with visitors’ media skills and strong narrative transportation offers the greatest potential to foster deep emotional ties to heritage.

What this means for our relationship with the past

Overall, the study concludes that when museum objects are thoughtfully designed to seem more like storytellers than static things, visitors are more likely to step into their world, feel what they "feel," and come away with a stronger sense of connection to the culture they represent. The key is not technology for its own sake, but designing visual, verbal, and audio cues that invite people into a shared story—and tuning those designs to the comfort level of different audiences. Done carefully and honestly, anthropomorphism can turn quick encounters with artifacts into meaningful moments of cultural recognition and pride.

Citation: Sun, W., Kong, L. & Seong, D. The impact of exhibit anthropomorphism on visitors’ cultural identity when cultural relics tell past stories. npj Herit. Sci. 14, 221 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s40494-026-02498-4

Keywords: museum storytelling, anthropomorphic exhibits, cultural identity, digital heritage, AI in museums