## 5 Discussion
### Implications
The study furnishes empirically supported strategies for optimizing virtual museum navigation design, with a particular emphasis on the effective utilization of interactivity, visual cues, and informational content to enrich user experiences. Our research presents practical design directives tailored to alleviate users' spatial disorientation and bolster their engagement, catering specifically to virtual museum designers. For example, augmenting the interactivity features of the mini-map, via interactive exhibit information pop-ups and click-to-navigate functionalities, can significantly elevate user motivation and engagement in exploration. Thoughtful design of visual guidance elements, such as color coding and symbolic markers, facilitates users' comprehension of spatial layouts and mitigates disorientation. Additionally, the provision of comprehensive and accurate exhibit information addresses users' knowledge retention and spatial recall requirements, while also enhancing immersive learning opportunities, thereby markedly improving the overall visiting experience. Our findings offer practical strategies for adaptively integrating principles from game design to optimize navigation and spatial cognition in non-gaming virtual environments. By underscoring the significance of virtual navigation design, this study also offers specific guidance for mitigating users' susceptibility to disorientation during virtual tours, stemming from the absence of physical reference points. The study's scope and depth still carry certain limitations. In this study, experiments were conducted via desktop interfaces to access virtual museums. Whether the optimized mini-map design is suitable for mobile or other virtual device interfaces remains to be validated. Further exploration is warranted to delineate the specific design elements underpinning interactivity, visual guidance, and informational content across diverse virtual environments. Additionally, investigating the differential impact of these design elements on spatial cognition among various user demographics, considering variables such as age, cultural background, and spatial proficiency, will be crucial. This endeavor aims to foster the development of more universally applicable and tailored virtual navigation design strategies to cater to the multifaceted needs of different virtual settings. Subsequent research endeavors could explore the impact of virtual navigation design on user experiences and spatial cognition within intellectually stimulating virtual environments similar to virtual museums, as well as investigate the effects of virtual navigation design on learning outcomes within virtual museums. As we advance into the future with technological platforms like the metaverse and AI-generated content (AIGC), there is a growing necessity for comprehensive research on virtual navigation. Our aim is to deeply analyze how virtual navigation design influences user behavior, thereby enriching the user experience in virtual museums and other virtual environments with enhanced richness, efficiency, and educational value. These \"other virtual environments\" may include virtual educational platforms, virtual tourist attractions, virtual art spaces, and virtual shopping centers, among other prospective platforms. These efforts aim to provide a theoretical framework with practical implications for the design, development, and application of virtual environments, thereby unlocking novel avenues for enhancing user experiences.