Analysing the multi-sensory elements of immersive experience for art exhibitions in Southeast Asia

This study explores how multi-sensory elements—sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell—enhance visitor engagement and interactivity in immersive art exhibitions across Southeast Asia. As immersive technologies like Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Augmented Reality (AR) become more common in artistic spaces, understanding the role of the senses in shaping user experience is increasingly important. Through a content analysis, this research analyses selected exhibitions to evaluate the extent and effectiveness of sensory integration. The findings reveal that VR and MR offer the highest levels of immersion, allowing participants to engage deeply with digital and hybrid environments. Extended Reality (XR) also creates strong interactive experiences, while AR is often more limited in its immersive impact due to its focus on visual overlays. Among the sensory elements, sight, sound, and touch are the most employed, contributing significantly to users’ sense of presence and engagement. In contrast, taste and smell remain underutilized due to technological and logistical challenges, despite their potential to enhance emotional and memory-based connections with the artwork. The insights from this research offer valuable guidance for future developments in immersive art, suggesting that the thoughtful integration of all five senses can deepen audience engagement and create more memorable, meaningful experiences.