Belonging in the Museum: How Dutch Art Museums Can Brand Themselves for Young Adults

ABSTRACT Young adults are the demographic least likely to visit art museums in the Netherlands, despite the sector's overall recovery since the COVID-19 pandemic (Berg et al., 2024, p. 30; Binnen Bij Musea, 2024). This trend is also observed internationally and is often attributed to perceptions that museums are elitist, irrelevant, or unengaging (Mason & McCarthy, 2006, pp. 21-23; Batat, 2020, p. 109). While earlier research has examined programmatic and educational outreach, the role of museum branding and institutional identity in shaping young adults' perceptions remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by asking: How can Dutch art museums brand and position themselves to be perceived as relevant and attractive by young adults, fostering a sense of belonging? A qualitative research design was used, based on thirteen semi-structured interviews with young adults aged 19 to 28 living in the Netherlands. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to reflect a diversity of museum experiences, interests, and cultural backgrounds. Thematic analysis followed Braun and Clarke's (2006, pp. 77-101) six-phase approach, with codes and themes developed inductively from the data and interpreted through a constructionist lens. The study is informed by a multidisciplinary theoretical framework combining Customer-Based Brand Equity (Keller, 1993, pp. 1-22; 2003, pp. 7-20), social infrastructure and belonging (Fortune, 2020, pp. 181-191), Uses and Gratifications Theory (Katz et al., 1973, pp. 509-523), cultural capital (Fyfe, 2004, pp. 47-67), self-congruity theory (Sirgy, 1985, pp. 195-206), brand positioning (Saqib, 2019, pp. 2616-2631), and audience development (Ayala et al., 2020, pp. 306-327). Findings reveal that while many young adults perceive museums as exclusive, institutional, or difficult to relate to, they nonetheless express a strong interest in cultural engagement. A sense of belonging was fostered when museums communicated in accessible, inclusive, and emotionally resonant ways, offered diverse representation, and created space for peer-based connection and validation. The study concludes that Dutch art museums can enhance their relevance to young adults by rethinking branding strategies to center identity recognition, cultural accessibility, and emotional connection. These insights offer practical guidance for museums seeking to become more relational, socially embedded, and meaningful across generations.