Research on the Innovation of Narrative Mode in Chinese Small and Medium-Sized Thematic Museums—A Case Study of the Ferry Site Exhibition at Xianyang Museum

Against the backdrop of the continuing “museum boom” and increasingly diversified cultural demands, many small and medium-sized museums in China face rigid constraints, including insufficient funding, limited collections, and a shortage of professional personnel. Under such conditions, traditional exhibition models often suffer from weak narratives and limited public appeal. Focusing on the Ancient Ferry Site Museum affiliated with Xianyang Museum as the core case, this study adopts a case-study approach supplemented by comparative analysis. Drawing on exhibition texts, social education activities, visitor statistics, and operational data from recent years, it explores the narrative transformation pathways of resource-constrained museums. The findings show that the museum has gradually transformed from object-centered display to cultural storytelling, and from one-way presentation to two-way interaction, through strategies such as highlighting regional culture, refining a core narrative IP, integrating accessible technologies to create immersive experiences, expanding social education functions, and improving management systems. Based on the case analysis, this paper further proposes a “four-dimensional driving” model for narrative innovation in small and medium-sized museums, emphasizing the synergy among narrative positioning, technological experience, social connection, and management innovation. The core purpose of this model is to transform resource limitations into opportunities for distinctive development through in-depth local cultural narratives and creative transformation. Studies indicate that small and medium-sized museums can develop distinctive development models amid resource constraints via localized cultural narration, resource integration and differentiated positioning, thereby expanding their functions of cultural communication and public service. On this basis, this study argues that limited resources do not necessarily hinder museum development; rather, differentiated development can be achieved through local storytelling and resource integration. The research provides theoretical reference and practical implications for the narrative transformation of resource-constrained museums and the enhancement of public cultural services.