Marketing a memory of the world: Magna Carta and the experiential servicescape

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse visitor perceptions of the Lincoln Magna Carta exhibition, in the context of an experiential servicescape perspective. Design/methodology/approach – Data come from a questionnaire carried out with visitors to the Magna Carta exhibition in Lincoln Castle, UK. The approach was framed by the student as producer perspective, that is about re‐engineering the relationship between academics and undergraduate students. Findings – It is found that three main problems exist in terms of the servicescape. These are guidance signage, the small, dark inauspicious surroundings of the exhibition itself and the level of visitor interactivity present. Research limitations/implications – This is only a small‐scale project of one Magna Carta exhibition. Research with more visitors would help to further validate the findings and conclusions of this paper and also assist in other representations of the document in other sites. Practical implications – Suggestions are made for improvement to a number of experiential servicescape elements. These improved representations also need to be planned for adequately in the new staging of the document, when Lincoln Castle receives planned additional funds from the Heritage Lottery. Social implications – This paper draws attention to the fact that the Magna Carta is a shared part of a global cultural identity, where the marketing of the document represents a great privilege. Originality/value – In this paper, the experiential servicescape framework is used in an original way to critique aspects of the current exhibition and to propose new ideas for representing the Magna Carta. The paper is based on original data that makes a novel contribution to the debate regarding research and learning in higher education.