Spatio-temporal distribution evolution of museums in Guangdong Province and influencing factors analysis

Museums are important institutions for protecting and preserving material and intangible heritage, as well as important carriers for disseminating historical and cultural knowledge, popularizing scientific knowledge, and driving cultural industry development. Exploring the multi-year evolution characteristics and influencing factors of museum spatial patterns at the provincial level is of great significance for promoting the development of regional cultural industries and improving service equalization. This article takes the Guangdong Province as the case, based on registered museum data and statistical data, using county-level as the analysis unit, and using spatial statistics and spatial analysis methods, explores the multi-year evolution characteristics of the spatial pattern of Guangdong museums from 1990 to 2020, and uses the GeoDetector to analyze the factors affecting. The distribution pattern of museums in Guangdong Province are mainly concentrated in the Pearl River Delta region, and their quantity and growth rates are significantly higher than those in non-Pearl River Delta regions. The spatio-temporal distribution of museums shows a phenomenon of expansion in the main center and an increase in sub-centers, with a distribution center following a"7"shaped trajectory of"southeast" and then"southwest". However, the development of museums in western Guangdong Province is relatively slow. Single-factor analysis found that the main factor affecting the spatial distribution of museums in Guangdong Province from 1990 to 2020 has always been the economy, while the role of education has increased in recent years. In addition, the analysis of the interaction between influencing factors shows that although the dual factor combination of the nonlinear enhancement relationship has changed from 1990 to 2020, economic factors have always been the main nonlinear enhancement factor. Therefore, the local government should increase funding and policy support for museums in non-Pearl River Delta regions, guide personnel and technical exchanges between the Pearl River Delta region and other regions within the province, improve the distribution pattern and development level of museums in non-Pearl River Delta regions, and promote equalization of museum services within the province.