一般人都認為博物館開放給大眾參觀，文物是屬於人民共享，是理所當然的，然而事實上它可是經過一段漫長時間的不斷調整修正後，才獲得的共識。過去的博物館，無論是國內或國外，主要在呈現宗教、政治等傳統力量，彰顯教誨與教育的功能。然而在民主社會中，博物館要跟上時代的變遷，反映社會的需求，以規劃成為寓教於樂的學習場域，使觀眾能透過視覺和心靈，體驗人類與自然的物證。本文首先說明博物館由「無」至「有」之傳承過程及專業功能，並藉由研究博物館觀眾參觀行為、互動及經驗來論述博物館與觀眾蛻變的關係：（一）由「封建傳統」至「民主化」；（二）由「貴族殿堂」至「全民開放」；（三）由「過時懷舊的文化工廠」至「人類與自然的物證體驗」；（四）由「文以載道」的歷史象徵至「寓教於樂」的學習場域；（五）由「博物館主動、觀眾被動」至「博物館與觀眾互動；（六）由「以文物」為重心至「以觀眾」為重心。

By researching the traditional and professional features of the museum as well as the museum visitors' behavior, interaction and experience, it illustrates the transformational relationship between the museum and its visitors. The relation between the museum and the visitors is from (1)"feudal" to "democracy", (2)"aristocratic palace" to "open to all the people", (3)"outdated cultural factory" to "evidence of human and nature experience." (4)"historical symbol" to "edutainment learning field", (5)"museum initiative, visitor passive" to " interaction between museum and visitors, (6)"antique oriented" to "visitors oriented”.