The Importance of Being Earnest. Enhancing the Authentic Experience of Cultural Heritage Through the Experience-Based Approach

This chapter contributes to the scientific research on cultural marketing, by analyzing the application of the experience-based approach to the management of cultural heritage and museums. After discussing some of the main marketing innovations of the last 20 years, the multidimensionality of the museum experience is examined in depth, with a focus on the increasing role of co-production and co-creation of value. Particularly, the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) is discussed as a way to widen the value of museum experiences, pointing out their strengths and weaknesses. Subsequently, a model is provided based on value co-creation through (1) the enhancement of cultural heritage as unique and nonfungible resources inherited from the past (authenticity), (2) the active involvement of visitors (interaction), (3) and the effective communication of the value of cultural heritage to different audiences in accordance with their skills and resources (storytelling). Through a critical investigation of a specific case study in the field of archaeology, Poggio Imperiale Park in Poggibonsi (province of Siena, Italy), the main challenges emerging in the “glocal” context are addressed, such as the need to satisfy the dual quest for experience and authenticity expressed by cultural consumers.