Author(s)

Shimiao Wang ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China

Corresponding Author

Shimiao Wang

ABSTRACT

The exhibition Shopping in Canton: China Trade Art in the 18th and 19th Centuries brings the commercial landscape of the Qing dynasty's Thirteen Hongs district to touchable cultural memory through digital interaction and immersive environments. Using touch-screen installations, animated projections, and reconstructed spaces, it recreates scenes of foreign merchants shopping, socializing, and dining in historical Guangzhou. This article does not focus on the craftsmanship or historical value of the artifacts themselves, but instead explores how the exhibition uses digital storytelling and cultural representation to guide visitors in playing historical roles—experiencing history through action. In doing so, visitors contribute to shaping urban cultural memory and revisiting Guangzhou's role as an early hub of global trade. The analysis draws on theories of digital narrative, cultural memory, and spatial practice. It examines how digital museums turn historical materials into narrative experiences through storytelling structures, spatial design, audience participation, and cultural politics. It also considers how memory is selectively shaped and the broader cultural impact.

KEYWORDS

Digital Storytelling, Cultural Memory, Sensory Experience, Museum Exhibition, Spatial Practice

CITE THIS PAPER

Shimiao Wang. Narrative Strategies and Cultural Memory Representation in Digital Exhibitions Based on Media Memory Theory. Media and Communication Research (2026). Vol. 7, No.1, 31-37. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/mediacr.2026.070106.

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