The Horizon Europe-funded research project LoGaCulture (Locative Games for Cultural Heritage) is hosting the kick-off meeting at the Natural History Museum of Funchal in Madeira, Portugal, this April. This project will explore how a new generation of innovative geolocation-based games might benefit European society through its cultural heritage sites.
Valentina Nisi, Associate Professor and funding researcher at the Interactive Technologies Institute and Instituto Superior Técnico, leads the consortium that brings together European academic leaders in digital locative experiences. Among the experts are Southampton University, Bournemouth University, Trinity College Dublin, RheinMain University of Applied Sciences, Municipality of Funchal, European Centre for Cultural Organisation and Management, and Senckenberg Society for Nature Research. Additionally, the Office of Public Works of Ireland and the National Trust (UK) also integrate the group as cultural partners.
What are locative games?
Locative Games have existed for two decades and are in the process of entering the mainstream. Typically, they are applications or websites accessed on a location-aware smartphone with content and interactions that are triggered by locations. Locative cultural heritage games take the form of digital tours, narrative games, locative literature, or interactive puzzles at cultural heritage sites, enabling visitors to see places ‘with new eyes’, revealing hidden aspects and creating new types of interaction.
LoGaCulture will explore frameworks and technologies at some of Europe’s cultural sites. “We have selected four cultural heritage sites as our case studies. These are the Avebury Stone Circle and Landscape (UK), the Natural History Museum of Funchal (Portugal), the Battle of the Boyne and The Hill of Tara (Ireland), and the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt/M. (Germany)”, reveals Valentina Nisi. The project will help ensure that proposals cover a range of positive impacts, utilising games as a new and exciting way for citizens to benefit from Europe’s unique and valuable cultural heritage.
Post-pandemic visitors
As Europeans readjust to the slow end of the pandemic, some rediscover their previous visiting patterns, but new behaviours are also emerging around hybrid events and visiting. “There is a need to re-evaluate the role of digital technologies in drawing the public back to their cultural heritage while also in providing them with hybrid modes of participation and visiting that fits their needs in the 21st century”, adds Professor Nisi.
In addition to the project consortium, the kick-off event will welcome the participation of the European Commission through the participation of the LoGaCulture Project Officer, Angel Fuentes, and the representatives of Funchal Municipality and the eGames Lab project.