From Tyrol to Italy: Project Brings Gen Z to Museums
- 17.09.2026
- Research
The students at the workshop in the smokehouse of the Ötztal local history museum, together with cultural mediator Laura Kogler (1st from the right).
How can young people be inspired to visit museums? A cross-border museum trip within the Interreg project EMY brought Italian school pupils and Austrian students to museums in Tyrol, Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
In early September, a museum trip organized as part of the Interreg Italia – Austria project “EMY,” a joint initiative of the municipalities of Maniago and Montebelluna, Ca' Foscari University, and the HOK | University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol, focused on cultural heritage, creativity, and international exchange. For over a week, Italian pupil and Master's students Malina Cebulla and Lia Gladilin from the Sports, Culture & Event Management program explored the diverse museums in Tyrol, Veneto, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The trip fostered connections between museums and educational approaches in Austria and Italy. A workshop for museums and tourism organizations in November will build upon these experiences.
DISCOVERING CULTURAL HERITAGE IN TYROL AND NORTHERN ITALY
Through museum visits, creative workshops, and hands-on activities, participants learned about diverse approaches that connect historical, archaeological, natural history, and regional themes with current issues relevant to their lives, such as sustainability, tourism, landscape change, and identity.
In Tyrol, the young people explored earlier ways of life at the Ötztal Local History Museum, including linen processing and the preparation of simple dishes like the traditional "Muas." The current special exhibition "Tracked Down" at the Tyrolean Folk Art Museum allowed visitors to explore the sometimes mysterious, sometimes recognizable origins of national and international museum objects, which can be traced back to oppressive regimes. The artistic workshop held at Lake Piburg with Ötztal artist Hannah Philomena Scheiber was particularly well-received, allowing young people to creatively process their impressions and develop their own perspectives.
These activities demonstrate that museum work doesn't end at the museum walls, but can continue beyond them. This openness creates space for encounters and creative development.
Verena Teissl
Project management EMY, HOK
In the Italian regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, participants focused particularly on issues of commemorative culture. The program centered on examining the First World War at the "Memoriale Veneto Grande Guerra" (MeVe) in Montebelluna, as well as reflecting on the history and consequences of the Vajont Dam disaster. Interactive educational formats, creative workshops, and discussions helped to establish connections between these historical events and contemporary issues.
YOUTH AS CULTURAL SHAPERS
A key component of the learning experience was the use of media and the creation of their own content. Participants worked in various editorial groups and documented their experiences using videos, photography, and social media. “This approach allows young people to reflect on their impressions independently and to highlight the aspects that they personally felt were relevant,” said Emily Kirchlechner, Project Manager EMY, HOK. This approach enabled them to actively interpret the places they visited and communicate what they found relevant.
The cross-border learning experience also contributed to EMY's overarching goals: The project identifies young people as an important target group for museums and focuses on approaches that involve them in design, education, communication, and storytelling. Overall, the project demonstrated how cross-border exchange can create space for young people to explore cultural heritage, develop their own perspectives, and engage with museums in new ways.
The students together with the artist Hannah Philomena Scheiber (1st from left) and the project managers of HOK.
Factbox
The Interreg Italy-Austria project “EMY – Developing Museums to Engage Young People and Enrich the Cultural Landscape” (ITAT-46-013) brings together partners from Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Tyrol. They are pooling cultural potential in the border region, developing museums into attractive destinations for Generation Z, and creating sustainable strategies for cultural tourism. Participating institutions include the HOK | University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol, the municipalities of Maniago and Montebelluna, and the aiku research center of the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. The two-year project runs until May 2027.
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