With the rapid advancement of mobile internet and virtual reality technologies, which eliminate spatial and temporal constraints, virtual museums have emerged as innovative models for museum services. These platforms effectively overcome regional barriers and facilitate the global sharing of culture. This study seeks to identify and validate the primary visual factors influencing user satisfaction and cultural participation intentions in virtual museums, thereby establishing a comprehensive theoretical framework. The research began by summarizing nine potential visual factors based on an in-depth analysis of the full-process experiences of nine virtual museums. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews with 26 participants helped narrow these down to six key visual elements: page layout, navigation, information display, color, virtual lighting and shadow, and virtual texture. To delve deeper into the influence of these visual elements on user satisfaction and cultural participation intentions, the study employed Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). A questionnaire with 28 items, scored on a Likert 5-point scale, was designed. Participants were required to complete a full virtual reality experience of the Palace Museum before responding to the survey. The online questionnaire yielded 287 valid responses, which were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS. The study rigorously tested the validity and reliability of the identified factors and verified the proposed paths and models. Results revealed that the six visual elements significantly enhance user satisfaction, which, in turn, positively impacts users’ cultural participation intentions. Moreover, user satisfaction emerged as a critical mediating variable, strongly influencing the users’ motivation to engage in cultural activities within virtual museums. These findings provide practical insights for designers and operators, emphasizing the importance of optimizing visual design to enhance user engagement, satisfaction, and cultural participation.