How to Design for Inclusion in Cultural Heritage: The Relation Between Object and Context

This paper presents the experiments carried out in the framework of the national research project PRIN-Neuromuseum, funded by the European Union within the PRIN 2022 PNRR program (D.D.1409 del 14/09/2022 Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca). The set of experiments implemented in an ecological environment, saw the involvement and support of the neurosciences.In order to make the Cultural Heritage accessible to all, the research team intended to improve the so called “intimate appropriation” of cultural contents in involving both rational and bodily responses. In investigating new forms of "cultural learning" in museums, the neuropsychological and cognitive processes have been compared in different museum conditions. In particular, in this paper the experiments carried out in Neuromuseum project are shortly described and the theoretical development of results is summarized.The guidelines for an “empathic design” able to trigger empathic responses in including all visitors, no matter their difficulties, are discussed.