OpenArch 2011-2015 (Culture Project)

From 2011 up until 2015, ten EXARC members, nine Archaeological Open-Air Museums and one University, cooperated under the name OpenArch. This was the continuation of the previous large project: liveARCH, which took place between 2006 and 2009.

What it is about

The main idea of Archaeological Open-Air Museums is to present both the tangible and intangible past to the public. The tangible parts of Archaeological Open-Air Museums are the archaeological remains and the reconstructions of these (houses, ships, complete environments). The intangible and most interesting part of an Archaeological Open-Air Museum is the story of the people that once lived there.

The objective of OpenArch was to create a partnership of archaeological open-air museums throughout Europe with the aim of developing attractive and excellent experiences for the public, focusing on common European heritage, especially the intangible elements of past culture, and including European-wide exchanges of best practice and intensified co-operation between museums workers.

The ultimate goal was therefore to help museums and their broader network to become more professional, and to demonstrate the value of working on a European level for the benefit of the visitor experience.

Methods

1. Workshops and seminars

2. Staff exchanges

3. Experimental actions

Work Packages

Work Package 1    Management of the project
Work Package 2    Improvement of museum management at partner museums
Work Package 3    The dialogue with the visitor
Work Package 4    The dialogue with skills
Work Package 5    The dialogue with science (experimental archaeology)
Work Package 6    Dialogue with museums and museum organisations
Work Package 7    Communication & Dissemination

OpenArch counts 11 partners: C.I. De Calafell (ES), coordinator; EXARC (NL); Archaeological-Ecological Centre Albersdorf (DE); Archeon (NL); Arheološki Institut (RS); Fotevikens Museum (SE); Hunebedcentrum (NL); Kierikki Stone Age Village (FI); Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales (WLS); Parco Archeologico e Museo all’aperto della Terramara di Montale (IT); University of Exeter (EN)

Results from this Project

1. Digital Bibliography

2. The Life Cycle of Structures in Experimental Archaeology: an Object Biography Approach

3. Iberians: the Secret of Iron

4. Five short films about Processing Reindeer Carcasses

5. Smiths in Bronze Age Europe

6. Archaeology and Crafts - Experiences and Experiments on traditional skills and handicrafts in Archaeological Open-Air Museum in Europe

7. A Handbook about Experiences and Results from the Workpackage 4 - The Dialogue with Skills

8. Guidebook for Live Interpretation in Archaeological Open-Air Museums

9. PR Book "Communication Strategy"

10. Interaction with Visitors in Archaeological Open-Air Museums

11. Archaeological Open-Air Museums and the dialogue with the museum community

12. Management of Open-Air Museums

13. EXARC Digest 2015 Issue 2: OpenArch Special

14. Slideshare channel

15. Vimeo channel