archaeological open-air museum

Interview: JAPKE – The Female Viking Power-house of Lejre

Christine Sonne-Jensen (DK)
Jutta Eberhards has been working with drama and living history for over 30 years. Born in the Friesland district in Germany, Jutta has over the years become a power-house in the management group of Sagnlandet Lejre – The Land of Legends (www.sagnlandet.dk). She has been tirelessly working to uphold the standards of the educational method that she and her colleagues developed...

Conference Review: Once upon a Time... in Kernave

Magdalena Zielińska (NL)
And so EXARC met again, this time in Lithuania, in Kernavė – an early medieval capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. This picturesque village was the location for the conference “Archaeology for the People” which EXARC co-organised with the State Cultural Reserve of Kernavė and with IMTAL-Europe. The Reserve of Kernavė is an old member of EXARC. IMTAL-Europe is a long-time cooperation partner of EXARC...

Butser Ancient Farm: An Internship Full of Senses

Àngels Fernández Canals (ES)
‘What is experimental archaeology?’ people asked me. ‘But if you work within an experimental place, you won’t be able to put into practise the tools learned in your Masters about cultural heritage and museology’ said some of my classmates. However, for me it was really important to do my internship in a place where the archaeology was paramount; at the same time, I was interested in...

Kernave Archaeological Site – the Place for Experimental and Living Archaeology

Andrius Janionis (LT)
2018 EXARC in Kernave
***Kernavė is one of the most picturesque places in Lithuania. Five hill-forts surround the wide valley of Pajauta. This place has always been visited by people not only for its sights but also for its aura of the distant past. Ever since people in Lithuania became more interested in history, Kernavė has been a symbol of...

Learning to Recreate, Recreating to Learn. Experimental Archaeology

Beatriz Comendador and
Aaron Lackinger (ES),
Elin Figueiredo (PT)
10th EAC Leiden 2017
***This paper aims to present and discuss ongoing activities that combine Experimental Archaeology and Ethnoarchaeology developed in the scope of a master's degree, a post-doctoral and other research projects at the University of Vigo (Galicia, Spain), in collaboration with regional open-air museums and educational centres...

Event Review: Archaeology Networking Day, Education & Living History in the Netherlands

Marie-France van Oorsouw and
Roeland Paardekooper (NL)
In early March, three EXARC members organized a networking day focusing on archaeology, education and living history. They invited museum colleagues from both indoor and outdoor museums; ship wharfs building reconstructions of old ships, craftspeople, academics and entrepreneurs in these areas. Their motivation came from the knowledge that even in a small country like the Netherlands...

Book Review: Skanseny Archeologiczne i Archeologia Eksperymentalna by Jan Gancarski

Justyna Duda (PL)
The book Skanseny Archeologiczne i Archeologia Eksperymentalna published by the Podkarpackie Muzeum in 2012 brings up the subject of open-air museums, opportunities and disadvantages of the promotion of cultural tourism and experimental archaeology mainly in Poland but also in Slovakia. Articles presented in this book were prepared for two different conferences organised by this museum...

Book Review: Proceedings of the 25th Meeting of Archaeologists from Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria

Miroslav Popelka (CZ)
On the 17th – 20th June 2015 40 participants of the 25th Archaeological working group East Bavaria/ West and south Bohemia/ Upper Austria, were hosted by the Upper Palatinate town Bärnau which lies on the border with the Czech Republic. The meeting took place in the conference hall of the Historic Park Bärnau-Tachov, a remarkable archaeological open-air museum which demonstrates...

Build It and They Will Come: Managing Archaeological Open-Air Museums in Britain for Stability

Lydia Hendry (UK)
Museums are among the most visited attractions in the UK (ALVA 2015), and with interactive displays and active engagement becoming more commonplace, this success can be capitalised on by archaeological open-air museums. Some European archaeological open-air museums entertain many visitors per year, although most are smaller institutions (Paardekooper 2012)...