Game On: Bringing Heritage to Life Through Gamification

  • Inês Araújo TECHN&ART – Centre of Technology, Restoration and Art Enhancement, Polythecnic University of Tomar
  • Célio Gonçalo Marques TECHN&ART – Centre of Technology, Restoration and Art Enhancement, Polythecnic University of Tomar
  • João Paulo Pedro TECHN&ART – Centre of Technology, Restoration and Art Enhancement, Polythecnic University of Tomar
  • Samsun M Basarici ECHN&ART – Centre of Technology, Restoration and Art Enhancement, Universidade Adnan Menderes
  • Tatiana Barradas TECHN&ART – Centre of Technology, Restoration and Art Enhancement, Polythecnic University of Tomar.
Keywords: Gamification, ICT, training, cultural heritage, Portugal, tourism

Abstract

Gamification is frequently mobilised to bring cultural heritage closer to the public by engaging participants in an experience that goes beyond mere observation of cultural artifacts. Previous studies indicate that gamification is applied in diverse contexts, fostering visitor interaction with cultural heritage, in different territories and in all its manifestations (tangible and intangible, of erudite or popular culture, in institutions, museums, community centers, among so many other forms). Because of this, in Portugal there are already several gamification initiatives have already been implemented.

Within the scope of the GAME ON project – Guidelines for Gamification in Cultural Heritage, a survey of gamification initiatives in Portugal was conducted. Based on the identified best practices, a capacity-building program was developed for researchers, students, and professionals in the cultural heritage sector.

The training took place in November 2024, during which participants were invited to design a gamification project applied to cultural heritage. Heterogeneous groups were formed to encourage the sharing of gaming experiences and to facilitate the selection of game mechanics that would motivate the target audience. Most groups opted for role-playing game mechanics, where participants assume a character within a narrative and overcome successive challenges while discovering the cultural heritage that contextualizes the activity. This paper describes and analyzes the initiatives proposed by the participants.

The capacity-building program fostered research and the exchange of best practices in gamification applied to cultural heritage, aiming to act as a catalyst for the creation of a community of practice in this domain in Portugal.

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Published
2026-07-08
How to Cite
Araújo, I., Marques, C. G., Pedro, J. P., Basarici, S. M., & Barradas, T. (2026, July 8). Game On: Bringing Heritage to Life Through Gamification. Journal of Tourism and Heritage Research, 9(2), 162-178. Retrieved from http://jthr.es/index.php/journal/article/view/802
Issue
Vol 9 No 2 (2026): Journal of Tourism and Heritage Research
Section
Artículos
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