Study Visit to Ostia Antica: Sharing Best Practices

Ostia Antica, March 26 and 27, 2025

The Green Heritage project held a training workshop at the archaeological site of Ostia Antica on March 26 and 27, 2025. The training was led by Marco Vigelini from Maker Camp and took place in the Sala Cebeillac Gervasoni. The workshop focused on narrative creation techniques and game design, with a special emphasis on their application at cultural heritage sites.

The first day began with icebreaker activities, followed by an introduction to the Story Spine framework, a structured approach to developing engaging narratives. Participants then worked in groups to create stories for their respective cultural heritage sites, followed by feedback sessions to refine their storytelling skills. Although a planned visit to the Castle of Giulio II was canceled due to rain, the day ended with a dinner at Arianna al Borghetto, offering opportunities for informal discussions and networking.

On the second day, the training explored the integration of narrative creation with digital tools, transitioning into game design. Participants took part in a site-specific training session at Portus, learning how to apply game design principles to enhance visitor engagement. Throughout the training, discussions focused on how these techniques could be applied to sites such as the Caliphate of Cordoba, the Archaeological Park Simonov zaliv in Izola, and the Archaeological Park of Viminacium.

The workshop successfully fostered knowledge exchange, enhancing participants’ ability to apply narrative creation and game design strategies at their own sites, while also addressing key project themes of accessibility, gender equality, social inclusion, and sustainability.