Text: Wenancjusz Ochmann, Fundacja ARTeria
Photo: Michalina Kuczyńska
“Mine shafts and factory chimneys, Giszowiec and Nikiszowiec, slag heaps and the Bolko loft are just some of the elements forming the mosaic of industrial Silesia. The simple forms of early 20th-century architecture represent the modernist face of the region. The ‘Mohohej’ carpet, the Silesian Dance Theatre, Rawa Blues… these are some of the motifs of artistic Silesia. There is also a more elusive Silesia—fantastical, complex, beautiful, sometimes surreal—present in the works of Horst Bienek, Kazimierz Kutz, Lech Majewski, and Teofil Ociepka. This year’s edition of the European Heritage Days highlights another element of this inspiring mosaic: Silesia of strongholds, castles, and fortresses. Military heritage sites and traces of wartime activities invite reflection on defensive architecture, deeper historical understanding, and the turbulent past of this region.” – these words were written by Anna Ochmann, president of ARTeria Foundatio in 2009, in the introduction to the first printed regional guide for the European Heritage Days, co-financed by our organisation.
For years, together with the ARTeria Foundation team, we have sought to showcase the diversity of the region and present it in an engaging way. Through many years of co-organising the European Heritage Days in the Silesian Voivodeship, we developed rich event programmes and organised dozens of study visits and guided tours. These activities were not based on technology, but on relationships and storytelling – long before we began working with apps and digital solutions, we worked directly with people and places. What mattered was not only what we communicated, but how we communicated it. Personal guided tours, local experts, and accompanying events allowed participants to connect directly with the history of each place. We observed that a well-told story attracts attention and builds engagement – often strong enough for initiatives to continue beyond the official framework of the event.
This experience became the starting point for further development. It revealed both the potential of local narratives and direct experience, as well as their limitations – particularly in terms of accessibility and scale. In a digital context, the key question is no longer whether to use technology, but how to use it without losing what made these experiences meaningful: authenticity, engagement, and a sense of discovery.
For many years, cultural heritage education has been based primarily on transmission models, where knowledge is delivered linearly through lectures, descriptions, or traditional guided visits. While still widely used, this approach is increasingly insufficient for engaging younger generations raised in digital environments and accustomed to interactivity. At the same time, declining interest in cultural heritage among young people has been widely observed, linked both to changing patterns of content consumption and the limitations of traditional educational methods.
In this context, learning through play – particularly through the use of quests – emerges as a relevant alternative. Quests, understood as structured experiences based on narrative, tasks, and problem-solving, introduce a new learning dynamic. Participants are no longer passive recipients but active explorers. This approach aligns with experiential learning theory, where knowledge is created through action, reflection, and interaction (Kolb, 1984).
A key role is played by gamification elements such as challenges, progression, rewards, and engaging storytelling, which increase motivation and user engagement (Deterding et al., 2011). In cultural education, this represents a shift from passive reception to active participation, often combined with the development of critical thinking and interpretative skills.
An important advantage of quests is their flexibility. They can function both in physical and digital environments. On-site quests, often based on geolocation, allow users to experience heritage “in place,” strengthening context and engagement. Virtual quests, in turn, provide access regardless of location. The combination of both forms creates a hybrid model that is both inclusive and scalable.
From an educational perspective, quests support the development of a wide range of competences from historical knowledge and digital skills to social and civic competences. This is particularly relevant in the European context, where cultural heritage plays a key role in shaping identity and social cohesion (European Commission, 2014).
At the same time, a critical perspective on digitalisation is necessary. Research indicates that intensive use of digital media may be associated with reduced attention spans and lower quality of information processing among younger generations (Twenge, 2017; OECD, 2021). In response to these challenges, the Civic Heritage Quest project deliberately adopts a hybrid approach, combining online experiences with activities in physical space. On-site quests engage users physically and cognitively, requiring attention, observation, and interpretation, thereby balancing some of the limitations of digital environments.
As a result, quests are not only tools for engagement but also a way to redefine the relationship between audiences and cultural heritage – from passive to active, from reproductive to exploratory.
Bibliography
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European Commission (2014) Towards an integrated approach to cultural heritage for Europe. Brussels: European Commission. https://www.cor.europa.eu/en/our-work/opinions/cdr-5515-2014
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