The study revealed that historic house museums, regardless of scale or status—from palatial residences to modest domestic dwellings—share similar interpretive challenges. Altering or introducing new technologies into such interiors almost always produces visual and experiential contrasts. Exhibitions such as the design installations at Chatsworth House or the Diwali illuminations at Kettleson Hall demonstrated both the potential and the tension inherent in layering contemporary interventions within historic settings.
Data from the international survey revealed striking patterns: while the average historic house museum represents over 320 years of domestic history, only 32% employ any form of diachronic presentation—that is, interpretation that acknowledges multiple historical phases. Even more revealing, fewer than 4% of interiors offer any direct engagement with layered narratives.
Moreover, digital and multisensory engagement remains minimal. The majority of house museums rely on traditional guided tours—accounting for roughly 90% of interpretive offerings. Only around 10% integrate sensory stimuli such as sound, smell, or tactile experiences as deliberate interpretive strategies, even though such approaches align naturally with the immersive character of domestic environments.
Equally notable is the prevalence of physical barriers: 96% of surveyed house museums employ stanchions or ropes to control visitor movement, limiting physical proximity to the objects and diminishing the sense of spatial immersion. This widespread practice, often inherited from museological convention rather than site-specific reasoning, symbolises the ongoing tension between access, preservation, and authenticity.

These findings underscore the need for a fundamental reconsideration of interpretive practice within historic house museums. The over-reliance on traditional, static methods—whether guided tours or physical demarcations—restricts opportunities for deeper, more sensory engagement. Digital reconstructions and mixed-reality technologies offer a way forward: they can reveal temporal depth, simulate environmental change, and enable interactive storytelling without physically altering fragile interiors.
However, the study also emphasises that successful digital engagement must begin with an understanding of the museum typology itself. Historic houses are not merely exhibition spaces; they are lived environments, inherently immersive, and already rich in sensory cues; digital interpretation should enhance rather than replace this immediacy—evoking soundscapes, natural light, and domestic smells that anchor the visitor in the lived reality of the past.
Funding models and management structures further complicate implementation. Ownership varies widely—from state-run institutions to privately occupied homes open for limited periods to meet conservation grant requirements. Consequently, the adoption of digital innovation depends on local resources, regulatory frameworks, and the willingness of stakeholders to balance conservation ethics with creative experimentation.