Plans & pricing Team FAQ What you measure How it works Methodology Benchmarking Why it matters Practical info Content

How Sentomus works - museum visitor research in detail

Join 250 museums using Europe's leading audience research.

Sentomus helps museums understand visitors and non-visitors through a professional, easy-to-use research programme. In these challenging times, strong evidence about your audience and museum impact matters more than ever.

What you get:

  • Visitor satisfaction & experience insights
  • Impact on wellbeing & NPS
  • Visitor profiles & motivations
  • Non-visitor research
  • Benchmarking with similar museums across Europe

Why Sentomus:

  • Scientifically grounded, yet practical
  • Multilingual surveys tailored to your museum
  • Suitable for all museum types & sizes
  • Strong data to support your funding and advocacy
  • Contribute to national and European sector insights
  • Fully confidential results
  • Free for all museums, with optional upgrades

Join the Sentomus study and benchmark your results across Europe.

Young boy engaging with a museum exhibit
Children exploring a museum
Friends visiting a museum together
Museum visitors viewing artworks
How museums rate Sentomus
4.4/ 5overall
Quality of the questionnaire
4.5
Ease of use
4.3
Dashboard & insights
4.6
Support & guidance
4.4
Implementation effort
4.2
Value for investment
4.4
Based on 46 verified ratings from participating museums

Membership plans

Research plans

Sentomus has a history of successful audience studies in over 250 museums. To enable all museums to participate, since 2026 the study has also been available for free. The free membership plan contains a full audience research study, without compromising on quality.

Choose a plan depending on the level of scale, reporting and support you need. Switching between plans during your study is possible at any time.

Tip: scroll horizontally to compare all plans →

Feature Member
Free		 Pro
 Ambassador
Premium
Full personalised visitor survey ✓ ✓ ✓
Live dynamic dashboard ✓ ✓ ✓
Multilingual ✓ ✓ ✓
Personalised communication materials ✓ ✓ ✓
European benchmarking report + webinar ✓ ✓ ✓
Survey respondents Up to 100 Unlimited Unlimited
Survey availability 6 months 12 months 12 months
Extra helpdesk support - ✓ ✓
Trend measurement over time - ✓ ✓
Group participation + group report - ✓ ✓
Individual museum research report - - ✓
Benchmarking with peer museums - - ✓
Executive summary for board - - ✓
Raw visitor data access - - ✓
Short thematic surveys - ✓ ✓
Surveys for temporary exhibitions or events - ✓ ✓
Contact us

Participation fees

Museum size (FTE) Member Free Pro Ambassador Premium
Less than 5 FTEFree€295€590
5 to 19 FTEFree€445€890
20 to 49 FTEFree€600€1200
50 to 75 FTEFree€750€1500
More than 75 FTEFree€975€1950

Prices based on museum staff size (FTE), exclusive VAT if applicable. Groups receive reduced fees.

Exchange rates are approximate and updated periodically.

Sentomus Member

Free participation with a complete museum audience study

Timeline

  • Duration: 6 months
  • Can be renewed after 12 months

Survey

  • Access to the Sentomus platform
  • Full survey with all topics, personalisation and extra local questions
  • Personalised interactive dashboard
  • Up to 100 respondents
  • Clear manuals, roadmap and short videos
  • Multilingual questionnaire

Communication

  • Target groups: visitors and non-visitors
  • Personal survey link and QR code
  • Personalised communication materials
  • Incentives: 1 m² rainforest and prizes
  • Museum logo added to the survey

Results

  • Live dashboard
  • Filters, flexible charts and crosstabs
  • Results confidential to the museum

Reporting

  • European report
  • Webinar
Foundation plan. Pro and Ambassador add services on top.

Sentomus Pro

Everything in Member, plus:

Timeline

  • Duration: 12 months

Survey

  • Unlimited number of respondents
  • Extra support via helpdesk

Results

  • Trend measurement (comparison over time)

Group participation

  • Registration as a group
  • Group-level questions possible
  • Group report available
  • Group structure on the platform
  • Group communication

Add-ons

  • Short thematic surveys
  • Surveys for temporary activities or events
Suitable for museums that want to survey more visitors and for museum networks.

Sentomus Ambassador

Everything in Member + Pro, plus:

Timeline

  • Duration: 12 months
  • Report delivered in June or December

Results

  • Raw data available
  • Additional modifications to the questionnaire

Reporting and benchmarking

  • Tap into a rich and growing benchmark database
  • Personalised research report
  • Benchmarking with peers, national and international results
  • Executive summary

Groups

  • Individual reports per location
  • Additional benchmark with group-wide results
  • Raw data available at group level
Full option for museums that need an individual research report including benchmarking.

What museums say about Sentomus

Laurine van de Wiel, Van Gogh Museum

"The report feels valuable from the very first read. It surfaces insights on themes we do not measure ourselves, and the benchmarking gives the results the context we need to act on them."
"It was very quick and easy to set up the questionnaire."

Antje Lehmann, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden

"We found the dataset and reports extremely useful. The study is rich, engaging, and full of actionable information, especially for a network of museums that needs shared insights and clear comparisons."

Amsterdam Museum

"Sentomus provides meaningful input for our own audience research approach. The results help sharpen our internal research model and translate visitor feedback into clear learnings."

Martijn Steinebach, Forteiland Pampus

"I truly appreciate the flexibility within Sentomus enormously!"

Supported by leading European universities

Prof. Dr. Annick Schramme

Prof. Dr. Annick Schramme

Master in Cultural Management, University of Antwerp, Antwerp Management School

Prof. Dr. J.A.C. (Johan) Kolsteeg

Prof. Dr. J.A.C. (Johan) Kolsteeg

Art Sciences, Organisation and Communication in the Arts; Cultural Democracy, University of Groningen

Prof. Dr. Birgit Mandel

Prof. Dr. Birgit Mandel

Audience Development, Cultural Participation, Cultural PR and Marketing, University of Hildesheim

Dr. Raphaëlle Bats

Dr. Raphaëlle Bats

Curator, URFIST Bordeaux & STI Reference, University of Bordeaux

Prof. Dr. Juliette Passebois-Ducros

Prof. Dr. Juliette Passebois-Ducros

Head of Master's Programme in Marketing Strategy and Communication, University of Bordeaux

Prof. Dr. Manuel Cuadrado García

Prof. Dr. Manuel Cuadrado García

Associate Professor of Marketing and Market Research, University of Valencia

Prof. (FH) Dr. Verena Teissl

Prof. (FH) Dr. Verena Teissl

Cultural Management and Cultural Studies, Festival Studies, Cultural Tourism, FH Kufstein Tirol

Prof. Dr. Francesco Casarin

Prof. Dr. Francesco Casarin

Professor of Marketing Strategy, Ca' Foscari University of Venice

Giulia Cancellieri

Giulia Cancellieri

Researcher in Economics and Business Management, Ca' Foscari University of Venice

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Sentomus is a large-scale independent audience study designed specifically for museums. It enables museums of all sizes to collect in-depth, actionable insights about their visitors and non-visitors through dynamic, multilingual surveys. The study is backed by seven European universities and trusted by over 250 museums across Europe.

Yes. Since 2026 the Sentomus Member plan is completely free, including a full personalised survey, live dashboard, multilingual questionnaire (up to 6 languages), communication materials, and up to 100 respondents. Museums can optionally upgrade to Pro or Ambassador plans for additional features.

Over 250 museums across Europe have successfully implemented the Sentomus study. These are museums of all types and sizes, spread across Europe.

Sentomus is developed with the support of seven leading European universities: University of Antwerp, Université de Bordeaux, Universitat de València, Universität Hildesheim, University of Groningen, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, and FH Kufstein Tirol.

Sentomus provides insights into visitor satisfaction, impact on visitor well-being, visitor profiles, visit motivations, experience evaluation, Net Promoter Score (NPS), non-visitor research, benchmarking with comparable museums, trend measurement over time, and board-ready data for evidence-based decision-making.

Each participating museum can offer its Sentomus survey in up to 6 languages (English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian). The questionnaire is fully adapted to the local context and research needs of each museum. New languages are added regularly. Do you miss a language for your museum? Let us know via the contact form.

For every fully completed Sentomus survey, 1 m² of rainforest is preserved in partnership with World Land Trust. So far, over 85,000 m² of rainforest has been preserved. Sento is certified partner of World Land Trust.

Based on 46 verified ratings from participating museums, Sentomus scores 4.4 out of 5 overall. The highest-rated aspects are quality of the questionnaire (4.5/5), support and guidance (4.4/5), and value for investment (4.4/5).

Yes, you can start for free and upgrade to Pro or Ambassador at a later stage. Sentomus is flexible and adapts to your museum's needs and timeline.

Incentives

World Land Trust partnership

World Land Trust logo

World Land Trust partnership

For every fully completed Sentomus survey, 1 m² of rainforest is preserved in partnership with World Land Trust.

In addition, respondents have a chance of winning attractive prizes, to encourage participation.

Sentomus selects winners automatically and anonymously at the end of each survey completion. There is no extra workload or investment for museums.

Rainforest preserved
85,000m2
and counting
Certificates

Watch the walkthrough

See how the study works in practice

A complete overview of the Sentomus study in 8 minutes - from registration to results.

What you measure

In-depth insights across nine themes

The Sentomus questionnaire covers all relevant aspects of your museum - from visitor profiles and satisfaction to societal impact and economic contribution. Each topic is designed so you can translate findings into concrete actions.

Audience insights Experience & satisfaction Impact & well-being Economic contribution Communication NPS Visit behaviour Motivations & expectations Open feedback

Nine research themes, one comprehensive survey

The questionnaire is fully personalised to your museum's context. You can remove, add, or modify questions and answer options through the research platform.

Explore all nine themes in detail
Content
overview

How it works

From registration to results in four steps

Sentomus is designed to minimise the workload for your team.

1

Register

Register your museum on the Sentomus platform and get immediate access to the study.

2

Personalise

Provide your museum's characteristics so we can personalise your survey. Add local questions & modify the standard questionnaire.

3

Collect responses

Share your personal survey link and QR code using the ready-to-use communication materials.

4

Analyse & act

Explore results in your live dashboard. Ambassador museums receive a comprehensive report with benchmarks.

Methodology & reliability

Scientifically grounded, practically designed

The study is built on a shared European standard, developed with academic partners and museum professionals. Rigorous enough to be credible, accessible enough to be practical.

9 researchers, 7 universities

The questionnaire is developed and validated by an international academic team, ensuring scientific accuracy.

International standard, local adaptation

A shared European questionnaire, adapted to national contexts and cultural specificities by local academic partners. Fully customised to each participating museum.

Dynamic & intelligent survey logic

The system identifies respondent profiles and shows only relevant questions - allowing visitors and non-visitors to be surveyed with the same questionnaire.

Available in 6 languages

German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, and Spanish. New languages are added regularly. Missing one? Let us know.

Sector-endorsed

The study is developed in close collaboration with national museum associations and sector professionals across Europe, ensuring the questionnaire addresses what truly matters for museums.

Meet the academic team →

European benchmarking

Compare your museum with peers across Europe

One shared methodology makes meaningful comparison possible. See how your museum performs relative to similar institutions, national averages, and international results.*

Live dashboard

Explore your results in real time with filters and cross-tabulations

Research report

Comprehensive analysis with actionable insights for Ambassador museums

Peer comparison

Anonymous benchmarking with clusters of comparable museums

Trend analysis

Track changes over time for Pro and Ambassador museums

Your dashboard and report are always confidential - only your museum has access to its own results.

* Benchmarking with peer museums is available for Ambassador members.

Discover the 250+ museums and heritage sites that have already participated →

Why it matters

What Sentomus enables you to do

The study doesn't just measure - it gives your museum the evidence to act, improve, and communicate your impact with confidence.

Make informed decisions

Use visitor data to prioritise investments in programming, infrastructure, and communication.

Improve visitor experience

Identify what visitors value most and where there is room for improvement, with concrete suggestions.

Strengthen funding arguments

Demonstrate societal impact and economic contribution with credible, benchmarked data.

Reach new audiences

Understand why non-visitors don't come and former visitors stopped returning - and how to reach them.

Practical information

Everything else you need to know

Details on target audience, timing, data privacy, security, support, and more.

The study is designed for surveying visitors of your museum - people who have been to your museum within the past 12 months.

It is also possible to include non-visitors (never been). The intelligent survey logic identifies each profile and presents only relevant questions.

Questionnaires are available in German, English, French, Italian, Dutch, and Spanish. You choose which languages to offer. New languages are added regularly - missing one? Let us know.

Sentomus is designed for any type of museum - public or private, small or large, regardless of collection or offer.

Discover the 250+ museums and heritage sites that have already participated →

The data collection period can run year-round or within a timeframe you select. Members can conduct the study during 6 months; Pro and Ambassador museums have 12 months.

For Ambassador museums, there are two fixed reporting points to choose from: June or December. All museums have ongoing access to their interactive dashboard throughout the study period.

Sentomus does not automatically renew memberships. After each research period, you will be contacted to offer the possibility to continue or upgrade your participation.

Each museum receives a personal survey link and QR code, plus personalised, ready-to-use communication materials for digital channels (ticketing, newsletter, website, social media) and physical touchpoints (posters, flyers). The base package includes digital materials; printed materials are available as an option.

The survey is fully responsive (smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop). Live interviews via museum staff or volunteers are also possible. A simplified paper version is available.

For former visitors or non-visitors, dedicated materials are provided for distribution through the city, partner institutions, and social media channels.

To help museums reach enough respondents, incentives are provided by the Sentomus study. For each completed survey, 1m² of rain forest will be saved through the organisation World Land Trust. In addition, participants have a chance of winning attractive prizes. The incentives are fully organized by the Sentomus research team and are included in the cost of the participation. Also for museums that participate for free, a square meter will be saved per completed survey and their respondents will have the same chance of winning the prizes.

All systems are secured according to current standards:

  • Secure servers with HTTPS / SSL encryption
  • Continuous server backups
  • Anti-BOT measures

Quality control measures ensure data integrity: consistency checks through control questions, detection of 'speeders', and anonymised IP address checks.

The study is conducted in full compliance with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The survey is completely anonymous - no personal data of respondents is collected or stored.

Prize winners are determined by a random code system. Selected winners see a unique code after submission and contact the research team voluntarily. Contact details are deleted immediately afterward.

Your research results are the private property of your museum. They are shared only with your designated contact person(s). All benchmark analyses use anonymised and aggregated data.

Read the full privacy policy →

Sentomus is designed to be easy to implement. Step-by-step plans and short explanatory videos guide you through the complete study.

Pro and Ambassador museums have access to extra support via a professional helpdesk with ticket tracking.

Museum visitors can also reach the helpdesk via the "Help" button in the survey.

Groups of museums enjoy extra benefits including tailored pricing, group participation, group reports, group-level questions, and a shared structure on the platform.

Ambassador groups additionally receive individual reports per location, benchmarking with group-wide results, and raw data at group level.

Learn more about group participation →

The study is offered to museums completely independently. There is no external funding, which means results and data are completely confidential and analysis is conducted without any external influence. You decide if and how you want to publish your local results.

Ready to understand your audience?

Join 250+ museums and heritage sites across Europe. Start with a free membership or choose the plan that suits your needs.

Register your museum → Contact us