Museum text creators are unsure how to craft bilingual texts in English and Chinese that resonate with diverse audiences to understand the minds of diverse audiences – what fuels their curiosity and engagement. 

This investigation will focus on one museum genre, the exhibit label, which is instrumental in shaping visitor engagement. We will conduct a reception study to understand the minds of diverse audiences – what fuels their curiosity and engagement – through surveys that will uncover how they perceive and receive exhibit labels in English and Chinese. Subsequently, a corpus-assisted discourse study (CADS) will aim to pinpoint English and Chinese linguistic resources that are aligned with diverse visitors’ preferences. Ultimately, the reception study and CADS will enable us to identify which linguistic resources best fit audience preferences. We will also be able to support the appropriate use of the Chinese language in museum contexts, advancing knowledge of inclusive, accessible museum texts.  

The project’s outcomes will include a set of adaptable training materials with various benefits. In the short term, a series of tailored workshops will enhance the inclusive text writing skills of Hong Kong’s museum professionals. Our collaborative partner will benefit from the finetuning of writing guidelines, while university educators and students will gain linguisticsenhanced training resources. In the medium term, we will share knowledge with local and international museums via an online course. The resulting integrated inclusive strategies will enhance museum experiences. Ultimately, this will prompt a broader societal shift towards inclusive language, benefiting museum visitors and professionals in the long run.