AI-driven and human-made: locative games boost cultural engagement
Cultural and creative sectors and industries (CCIs), including museums and cultural heritage sites, are looking for ways to promote access to cultural heritage. This involves engaging younger and more diverse audiences across a wide range of cultural venues. The EU-funded CULTURATI(opens in new window) project has designed a digital solution to address this goal.
A digital platform for games and routes
With the aim of creating customisable games and routes to engage cultural venue visitors of diverse ages and backgrounds, the project designed a global content platform that leverages AI(opens in new window), IoT and mobile technologies. A key feature of the platform is that it personalises content delivery based on user needs, preferences and knowledge level. Additionally, it supports multiple languages. A consortium of computer scientists, academics and cultural agencies developed a content management and curation system that transforms how cultural heritage is experienced. As project coordinator Eda Gürel explains, “A key innovation of CULTURATI is its co-creation approach, combining AI-driven tools with human-led content creation and validation, enabling citizens, cultural professionals and stakeholders to actively contribute content. This ensures that information remains accurate while transforming cultural heritage from a static experience into a dynamic and participatory one.” With its web-based design, the CULTURATI solution requires no specialised equipment; it runs on personal smartphones and similar devices. While the locative games and routes are designed for on-site use, individuals can also explore content remotely. Moreover, sensors integrated into the platform can help steer on-site visitors to less congested areas. Such features not only expand the reach of CCIs and protect cultural sites from the wear and tear of excessive foot traffic, but they also support safer visitor management in contexts such as a pandemic, where crowd control and physical distancing are critical.
Pilot studies in the CCIs
The cultural-educational ecosystem designed by CULTURATI progressed from early-stage conceptual development to real-world deployment. Pilot studies were carried out in five locations across four countries. In Turkey, studies were carried out at the Istanbul Rahmi M. Koç Museum, an industrial museum on the shores of the Golden Horn and at the Ankara Citadel, a historic symbol of the city. Ascoli Satriano and Porvoo, towns located in Italy and Finland, respectively, are culturally rich pilot sites. The final pilot site is Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of England’s most striking historical estates. Platform content highlights narratives, bringing cultural histories to life at all the pilot sites. Gürel shares: “Many of these stories are unique and not available on the internet, as the project specifically aimed to uncover hidden cultural knowledge and local perspectives that are often overlooked.”
Bringing CULTURATI to the mainstream
The project’s platform is designed for easy use by a wide range of visitors, making cultural experiences more accessible to all. But institutions must engage with the technology before the public can. This transition requires institutional readiness, technical skills and organisational capacity. To facilitate adoption, the project created structured onboarding materials including the CULTURATI handbook and the Join CULTURATI(opens in new window) initiative. Developing institutional readiness will also create jobs requiring technical skills, such as content creation and curation. With uptake across Europe within reach, CULTURATI is set to realise its core value: bringing the right information for the right person at the right time through customised games and routes.
