the openarch project in the nutshell so far

A five year Culture project with 11 partners, building on the

success of EXARC. Our objective is to create a permanent

partnership of archaeological open-air museums throughout

Europe. The ultimate goal of OpenArch is 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.

2011 - 2015

OpenArch Partners

CoordinatorLa Ciutadella Ibérica de Calafell (CAT)

The Iberian Citadel of Calafell is a centre of experimental archaeology, an archaeological open-air museum where visitors can see what life was like in the Iron Age 2,500 years ago. It is the first archaeological site in the Iberian Peninsula to have been reconstructed by using experimental archaeological techniques.

OpenArch Partners

CoordinatorLa Ciutadella Ibérica de Calafell (CAT)

OpenArch Partners

University of Exeter, Department of Archaeology (EN)

Archaeology at the University of Exeter is a vibrant academic community offering excellent teaching and research. They are ranked 2nd in the United Kingdom for their world-leading and internationally recognised research and many staff publish on experimental archaeology. They offer high levels of student satisfaction and encourage students to use experimental methods.

OpenArch Partners

University of Exeter, Department of Archaeology (EN)

OpenArch Partners

Amgueddfa Cymru,St Fagans National History Museum (WLS)

Located to the northwest of Cardiff, the museum was created in 1946 in the grounds of St Fagans Castle. It features dozens of reconstructed buildings, brought from across Wales, and three Iron Age roundhouses based on excavated examples. St Fagans is one of Europe's leading open-air museums and has been voted the UK’s favourite tourist attraction.

OpenArch Partners

Amgueddfa Cymru,St Fagans National History Museum (WLS)

OpenArch Partners

EXARC (NL)

EXARC is the ICOM* Affiliated Organisation representing archaeological open-air museums, experimental archaeology, ancient technology and interpretation. EXARC raises the standard of scientific research and public presentation among our membership through collaborative projects, conferences and publications. *ICOM is the International Council of Museums.

OpenArch Partners

OpenArch Partners

Archeon (NL)

Founded in 1994, Archeon covers 10,000 years of human development in the Netherlands. From hunter-gatherers in the Stone Age and farmers in the Bronze and Iron Ages, through the Roman period and right up to everyday life in 1340 AD, “Archaeo-interpreters” show what life was like in “their time” in the 43 reconstructed buildings.

OpenArch Partners

Archeon (NL)

OpenArch Partners

Hunebedcentrum (NL)

Lying on the Hondsrug in Borger, in the North of the Netherlands, the Hunebedcentrum takes you back to prehistoric times and shows you the lives of the first farmers in Drenthe. They constructed impressive monumental tombs and the remains of 54 of them can still be seen, the largest one standing right next to the centre.

OpenArch Partners

Hunebedcentrum (NL)

OpenArch Partners

Archaeological-Ecological Centre Albersdorf (DE)

The “Stone Age Park Dithmarschen” in Albersdorf (Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) is being reconstructed as a Neolithic cultural landscape from ca. 3.000 BC. Lying close to megalithic tombs and grave mounds dating from the first farmers in Northern Germany, the site offers educational activities like flint knapping, archery and leatherwork.

OpenArch Partners

OpenArch Partners


Fotevikens Museum (SE)

25 km south of Malmö, Sweden, you will find the Archaeological Open-Air Museum of Foteviken. Inside a city wall open toward the sea, the world’s only attempt to recreate an entire Viking Age town shows a number of streets with 23 houses and homesteads, reflecting life in a late Viking Age and early Middle Age town in 1134 AD.

OpenArch Partners


OpenArch Partners

Kierikkikeskus/Kierikki Stone Age Centre (FI)

The archaeological exhibition at the Kierikki Stone Age Centre displays objects from the Stone Age. In addition, activity programs in the reconstructed Stone Age Village offer a unique opportunity to experience life as it was lived thousands of years ago. Other attractions include a restaurant, hotel and museum shop.

OpenArch Partners

Kierikkikeskus/Kierikki Stone Age Centre (FI)

OpenArch Partners

Arheološki Institut (RS)

Viminacium is an ancient Roman site on the right bank of the Danube in eastern Serbia. In an area of about 450 ha are the remains of a military camp, a city and cemeteries. Remains of a Roman bath, a mausoleum and one of the gates of the military camp can be seen, as well as a replica of a Roman villa.

OpenArch Partners

Arheološki Institut (RS)

OpenArch Partners

Parco Archeologico e Museo all’aperto della Terramara di Montale (IT)

The terramara of Montale, near Modena in Northern Italy, is a typical Bronze Age settlement with pile dwellings surrounded by a ditch with water and imposing earthwork fortifications. Next to the site is an Open-Air Museum with life-size reconstructions of two houses furnished with replicas of the original finds dating back 3500 years.

OpenArch Partners

Parco Archeologico e Museo all’aperto della Terramara di Montale (IT)

OpenArch Partners

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. The

intangible and most interesting part of

an Archaeological Open-Air Museum

is the story of the people that once

lived there. The work in OpenArch is

divided in Work Packages. All Work

Packages are the responsibility of the

entire partner-ship, but one or two

partner are coordinating them.

Work Packages

Project Management

The primary objective of this Work Package is to run the project professionally and smoothly through a committed and experienced project bureau, run by the Lead Partner. This will consist of a project manager, a financial manager, a first and a second advisor. The bureau runs the day to day coordination.

Coordinators: La Ciutadella Ibérica de Calafell (CAT)

Improvement of Museum Management

The objective of this Work Package is to enhance competence among museums directors on management issues with specific relevance to archaeological open-air museums, including health and safety issues relating to open-air constructions, working conditions for staff outdoors, environmental and ‘greening’ issues.Coordinators: Amgueddfa Cymru – St Fagans National History Museum (WLS)


Work Packages

The Dialogue with the Visitors

This Work Package focuses on the presentation of archaeology to the public. The partners have great expertise to present and working with living history for sites and their history. We help children, young people and adults of all ages to discover their own local history with our own method. A significant asset of archaeological open-air museums is that they do not attract a limited target group.

Coordinators: Archeon (NL) Arheološki Institut (RS)

Work Packages

The Dialogue with Skills

This Work Package gives a strong focus on the people that do demonstrations of traditional skills like metalworking, textile working, pottery making, woodworking et cetera.

Coordinators: Parco Archeologico e Museo all’aperto della Terramara di Montale (IT)


Work Packages

The Dialogue with Science

This Work Package focuses on experimental archaeology and how larger-scale experiments, as co-operation between scientists from all participating countries, can contribute to make the visitor experience at archaeological open air museums even better.

Coordinators: University of Exeter, Department of Archaeology (EN)Kierikkikeskus/Kierikki Stone Age Centre (FI)

Work Packages

The Dialogue with Museum Organisations

The objective of this Work Package is to link the archaeological open-air museums more closely to the museum world at large. Joint workshops will be organised with the ICOM committee CECA (on didactics and communication / education in museums), and with other relevant organisations.

Coordinators: La Ciutadella Ibérica de Calafell (CAT)EXARC (NL)

Work Packages

Communication and Dissemination

The objective of this Work Package is to get more visibility and therefore acceptance of the co-organisers and archaeological open-air museums in general. We need to see how each museum can bring its own message better and define a common approach, ‘a brand’ for archaeological open-air museums in Europe.

Coordinators: EXARC (NL)Hunebedcentrum (NL)

Work Packages

Meetings are theoretically focused events, with

presentations / lectures and discussion groups. These are open and of interest to a broader audience. Workshops are practically focused ‘working together’ gatherings for staff of the Archaeological Open-Air Museum with the aim of exchanging insight into specific methods and improving each other’s skills.

Meetings & Workshops

January 2011: Kick off Meeting of OpenArch, Calafell (CAT)

From January 24th to 28th the OpenArch project fired the starting shot in the Mediterranean town of Calafell. The organisation prepared a very complete agenda with different activities and a detailed work plan with introductory speeches and several meetings which made possible that partners could meet each other in person and take the first decisions to start building up the planning of the project in this first stage called “Inception Phase”, which it was considered to be finished after the next meeting to be held in Borger (NL).

Number of Participants: 30

October 2011: "Bringing archaeology to life", Borger (NL)

The Borger Meeting, 3rd - 7th October 2011 was a great success with almost 100 participants from about 10 countries. The Borger Meeting was to discuss new ways to reach the public with archaeology. The meeting combined participants from OpenArch, Zeitgeist and EXARC and was also visited by members of the Dutch network VAEE.

Number of Participants / Visitors / Audience: 100 Participants, 50 Visitors


April 2012: III OpenArch meeting in Modena (IT)

The meeting dealt with the implementation of the OpenArch project activities with a specific focus on the Dialogue with Skills, a topic coordinated by the Italian partner in cooperation with the German partner Archäologisch-Ökologisches Zentrum Albersdorf. Core of the program was the Workshop Smiths in Bronze Age Europe, planned with a pedagogical and hands on approach with the aim to provide a reference guide for skill experts, craftsmen as well as managers dealing with Bronze Casting presentations in Archaeological Open-Air Museums.

Number of Participants / Visitors / Audience: 100


September 2012: "Museum interpretation and public engagement: challenges and opportunities", Höllviken (SE)

The overarching theme was the challenges of interpreting and engaging public interest in open-air museums and archaeological / historic sites. For two days, the linked themes “Management & communication strategies at open-air/archaeological museums” ,“Working with volunteers” and “How can performance of various kinds contribute to and extend the work of such museums and sites?” have been discussed.



October 2012: 1st Exeter Dialogue with Science Workshop The University of Exeter, Department of Archaeology (EN)


The first Exeter dialogue with science workshop was very successful. Participants from Finland, the Netherlands, Italy and Wales joined Exeter postgraduate students and staff for exchange of information, practice, and the pedagogies of experimental archaeology.



April 2013: The Dialogue with the Visitor, Alphen a/d Rijn (NL)

AOAMs face unique challenges concerning their interaction with visitors. Through themes concerning the Story of the Site and the Visitors Experience, we have explored these challenges and how to meet them. During the conference, speakers from various disciplines and backgrounds engaged the visitors and each other on diverse subjects. The goal was to gain a better understanding of both the stories we tell – the intangible heritage preserved by AOAM – and how the visitor experiences these. We have also looked at best practices in (games) design, theatre, amusement parks, and others.



Themes which were covered:• The birth, life and death of large scale structures• The construction, maintenance and dismantling as performance• Large scale timber structures like houses, granary stores and boatsNumber of Participants / Visitors / Audience: 10

May 2013: 2nd Exeter Dialogue with Science Workshop, The University of Exeter, Department of Archaeology (EN)


September 2013: "Working with stones in European Pre- and Protohistory in theory and in practice" at Albersdorf (DE)

On Day 1 an international scientific conference about archaeological research and experiments took place; on Day 2 we had a practical workshop at the “Stone Age Park Dithmarschen” with demonstrations and different activities regarding working with stones. At this public forum there was time and space for intensive exchange of experiences and ideas. On Day 3 an excursion on the traces of landscape and settlement history at the North Sea Coast took place.Number of Participants / Visitors / Audience: 120

December 2013: 3rd Exeter Dialogue with Science Workshop The University of Exeter, Department of Archaeology (EN)


OpenArch members from Sweden, Wales and England joined the Touching the Past Project (TTP) at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh. The Touching the Past Project (TTP) was directed by

Dr Linda Hurcombe (University of Exeter and OpenArch), Dr Alison Sheridan (National Museum of Scotland) and Dr Mark Wright (University of Edinburgh/Liverpool John Moores University). Along with the OpenArch members a wider variety of museum staff, academics, artists, professional archaeologists, students and representatives from charities who work with blind and visually impaired groups attended the workshop.



June 2014: The Value and Scale of the Experimental Archaeology Approach - Conference on the Dialogue with Science, Oulu (FI)

The conference introduced the archaeology of the region and then focused on the value of the experimental approach to studying and presenting the past. On the first day we presented ancient monuments and some interesting research relating specifically to Northern Finland. The second day featured presentations and experiments. We also explored modern skills and new technologies for enhancing the visitor experience.



September 2014: The Dialogue with the Visitor, Viminacium (RS)

The conference was dedicated to archaeology of the region, as well as the presentation of local archaeological cities and parks in Serbia and its neighboring countries. The sessions were focused on the Dialogue with the Visitor and its links to other work packages, such as the Dialogue with Museum Organizations, which aim is to define the role of thematic exhibitions in a Museum. The Dialogue with Skills and the Dialogue with Science were present as sessions linked to presentation of an Archaeological Park and its management.



May 2015: Grand Finale – Public Event, Cardiff (WLS)

November 2015: Closing OpenArch, Calafell (CAT)


Closing the project and discussing the five years of cooperation.

What did we learn from this project and how to proceed in the future.

Did we do all what was promised? Did we reach our goals?

Preparing for the final audit

Visiting other conferences and meetings


All of the partners are regularly joying other conferences and seminars while representing OpenArch. Some examples are:

•Llys Rhosyr Seminar (2011)•Workshop at the University of Hamburg (2011)•7th UK Conference on experimental archaeology (2012)•Seminar at University Kiel (2012)•the ICOM Advisory Committee (2012)•Craft and People - International Conference, British Museum (2012)•A double lecture at the University of Leiden (2012)•OpenArch in Mérida (2013)•AAM in Baltimore (2013)•the General Conference of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) (2013)•Experimental Archaeology Conference, Oxford, UK (2014)•Seminar about Archaeological Open Air Museums at the University of Kiel (2014)•Introducing OpenArch to the World’s largest Experimental Archaeology Conference (2014)•EXARC at the 29th general assembly of ICOM (Paris, UNESCO building) (2014)

Staff Exchanges are thought to be a

tool to interchange best practices

between staff of different museums.

The target group of Steering

committees are the directors,

managers and responsible of the

museum partners of the OpenArch

project. The target group of staff

exchanges are the day to day workers

of the museum, the ones that are more

close to the general public and

schools. Mainly, by means of this

activity, we reach one of the EU

objectives: to enhance the cross-

border mobility of artists and workers

in the cultural sector.

Staff Exchanges (samples)

Hunebedcentrum (NL) visits megalithic burial excavation near Albersdorf (DE)

Number of Participants: 3 from Hunebedcentrum

The University of Kiel (associated partner to OpenArch) is doing the largest research into megalithic monuments in Europe ever…

Bronze casting workshop at Parco Montale (IT)

Number of Participants: 30 of which 10 Staff Exchanges fromCalafell (CAT), Foteviken (SE) and Archeon (NL)


Archeon (NL) visits Viminacium (RS)

Number of Participants: 1 from Archeon (NL)

In the beginning of October a symposium was organised by the OpenArch participant Viminacium. Archeon send one of its staff over to spy on the conference and gather some ideas for the next OpenArch meeting in April…



Management and Marketing at the Hunebedcentrum in Borger (NL)

Number of Participants: 2 from Archaeological-Ecological Centre Albersdorf (DE)


7th Experimental Archaeology Conference at Cardiff (WLS)

Number of Participants: 4 from Parco Archeologico di Montale (IT)

All our goals were achieved, in fact some of the most important goals of the OA project are to share knowledge and techniques about our common heritage. We think that we had the opportunity to develop both thanks to this staff exchange…


Experimental days at Steinzeitpark Albersdorf (DE)Number of Participants: 2 from Arheološki Institut (RS)

... Having direct insight at the constructions and the landscape in order to discuss what could be done at the archaeological park Viminacium.


Making of a logboat at Kierikki Stone Age Village (FI)Number of Participants: 5 from University of Exeter (UK), 2 from Archaeological-Ecological Centre Albersdorf (DE)


Educational staff from La Ciutadella Ibèrica (CAT) learning from Parco Montale (IT) activities for school groups

Number of Participants: 4 from CalafellThe main goal of educators who have participated in the exchange of experiences in Parco Montale was to know more about the methodology in educational activities and public management.


Staff Exchange between Archeon (NL) and Foteviken (SE)

Number of Participants: 3 from Archeon

To observe and analyze different methods used to engage the dialogue with the visitor, both during special events and during ‘regular’ days…


Staff Exchange between Archeon (NL) and Viminacium (RS)Number of Participants: 2 from Archeon

Viminacium combines the original excavations with replicas of the buildings encountered. The amphitheatre present in Viminacium shows this excellently: one part of the theater has been reconstructed, while the rest is currently still being excavated…


From Albersdorf (DE) to St. Fagans (WLS)

Number of Participants: 2 from Albersdorf

It was successful and gave deep insights into the educational work, the archaeological and scientific background and in the daily tasks of a museum of such size.


Smoke and air quality

Number of Participants: 2 from University of Exeter (UK) visiting Archaeological-Ecological Centre Albersdorf (DE)


Staff Exchange between Archeon (NL) and Albersdorf (DE) Number of Participants: 2 from Archeon

- Bring up the communication and socialization level - Exchange ideas - Learn how the park works with visitors

Experimental Actions - archaeological remains and

objects are tangible remains of past civilizations. They need to be interpreted to give meaning today, and interpretation is dependent on experiments. Experiments are needed to understand how objects

were made, how constructions can have looked like and not the least, how people in the past behaved and acted.

Experimental Actions (samples)

Everyday life of the past: primitive pottery making & burningKierikki Stone Age Centre (FI)


Working with birch bark


Notes concerning the demolishing of the western end of a ten-year-old Stone age row house


Impact of fire lighting on thatch temperature


Creativity: An exploration through the Bronze Age and contemporary responses to the Bronze Age


Workshop University of Hamburg August 2011

Skinning, cutting and cooking a reindeer using only bone and antler tools


Felling, de-barking and notching pine trees with stone, bone and antler tools


Workshop Smiths in Bronze Age Europe


Clothing: drum making workshop


Working with wood at 1st Exeter Dialogue with Science Workshop

Living Experiments and Educational Days at the Stone Age Park Dithmarschen


Prehistoric Fish Trap Reconstruction


Reconstructions and interpretation of Medieval Egg Tempera paintings

Experiments In Viminacium

Making log boat in Kierikki


Production of Iberian ceramics (Protohistory)


“Art and Technology of bronze”


From evidences to facts: the Iberian ironworking chain from an experimental perspective at the Iberian Citadel of Calafell

OpenArch has several means of bringing our message to those people interested. A huge collections existing of: flyers, brochure, posters, banners, adverts et cetera has been created. As well as small and big shield. Besides that, several websites reach thousands of people.

Other Products (samples)


Community Manager

Our websites are being updated several times per week. Here we notify people about new activities and products, updates from our partners and much more.

We are active on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, less frequently on Vimeo, Google+ and Slideshare. When OpenArch Partners add events, products or staff exchanges to the website, we pick those up and follow up through social media. The number of tweets and messages on Facebook rises exponentially when we are actually present at such activities. By the end of 2015 we are aiming to reach 15,000 followers.

During the project several products are made which we proudly share with our colleagues beyond OpenArch. Some are available on line, others can be ordered at the partner responsible, others viewed at the locations of the partners. The EXARC Journal is published both in hard copy and online and distributed among all members and at different conferences.


Starting from 2011, three online issues of EXARC Journal have been published on the website, next to the printed “best of” Digest.

From 2014, four online issues of the EXARC Journal were published annually as well as two printed “best of” Digests.

The average amount of articles published per year is 50, half of it is open access, the others are for members only, but will be open access two years after publishing.

Available on www.journal.exarc.net and through EXARC.


The film was designed and implemented by Kierikki Stone Age Centre staff, in conjunction with a film company. The film was funded through OpenArch. It tells a one-year course of the Stone Age. Ploy is a child's growth story and also the Stone Age village of survival in difficult conditions.

SUN STONE / AurinkokiviDVD 16 minutes - For all AgesAvailable at Kierikki Stone Age Centre


Handbook on Communication and PR. It includes Strategies for Archaeological Open-Air Museums. The book exists out of six themes: 1. People Matter, 2. Digital PR, 3. Combining Social Media and Print Marketing, 4. Printed & Tangible PR products, 5. Media & Going Public, 6. How to Organise an (International) Public Event.Available at EXARC, check also www.slideshare.net/EXARC/pr-book-for-archaeological-openair-museums-presentation-august-2014


"Iberians: The Secret Of Iron" is a documentary about Iberian ironworking processes based on the experimental archaeology works which took place at La Ciutadella Ibèrica de Calafell in April 2014. Both film and experiment are part of the EU Culture Programme OpenArch.

Movie: "Iberians: The Secret Of Iron"9,5 minutes - For all Agesavailable: http://vimeo.com/105034887

Learn more about us at

the openarch project in the nutshell so far

Government & Nonprofit

kierikki stone age centre

theiron age

archaeological site

objects fromthe stone

late viking age

iron age roundhouses

university of exeter

entire viking age town