The emotion of awe is believed to be one of the most desirable experiential accolades for tourists and providers of tourist experiences; however, research on awe in a cultural tourism context is scant. Applying mindfulness theory, this two-step mixed study aims to understand tourists’ experiences of awe in a cultural context, particularly its antecedents and consequences. Firstly, a content analysis based on online comments was performed to generate an explanatory model; and secondly, a survey was carried out on visitors to Zhejiang Provincial Museum to test the hypothesized model. The results of structural equation modeling analysis suggest that mindfulness exerts a significantly positive impact on awe, which in turn promotes visitors’ cultural identity and place attachment. Findings from this study extend the extant awe literature to a cultural heritage context (i.e. museums) and enrich knowledge base of the influence of cognitive processes on tourists’ travel experiences.