Analysis of the user experience (On site vs. Virtual Reality) through biological markers and cognitive tests in museums: the case of Museo Cristo de la Sangre (Murcia, Spain)

Digital technologies have changed almost every aspect of our lives, including the way we access heritage. Following the pandemic caused by COVID-19 and the technological evolution of recent years, museums and institutions, among others, have changed the way they display their collections, taking a greater interest in new technologies, platforms and digital software. This technological boom finds its greatest transformation with the implementation of Virtual Reality (VR) and Metaverse in the museum sector. This article shows the concrete influence of VR/Metaverse in a museum room previously digitised through different techniques. Subsequently, the impact over user experience in the VR scenario versus on-site visit has been measured. In parallel, to measure the enzyme alpha-amylase in saliva, a cognitive test and usability test (SUS) were carried out to determine the learning capacity and degree of satisfaction obtained with experience alongside the room of the Museo de la Sangre in Murcia (Spain).