Play & Heritage
To Heritage Site
Heritage Elsewhere
Reiterate
Past ❤ Play explores the rich history of the phenomenon of ‘play’ in various societies over the centuries. In particular, we investigate how the love of play can lead to a renewed interest in and appreciation for public heritage.
Past ♥️ Play is a research project focusing on the power of play and heritage. The team first studies local play and identifies locally unloved heritage sites. We then combine the two: we organize playful events in these sites, hopefully making these places more loved. Our goal is to boost the love for both play and heritage and to share play and games around the world. This 6-year project (2025-2030) begins with a prototyping year and will consist of fieldwork in the Netherlands, Morocco, and the Caribbean. The project is conducted at Leiden University, the Netherlands and is funded thanks to the team receiving an Ammodo Science Award for groundbreaking research in 2024.
Csilla Ariese
Museum studies & heritage
Aris Politopoulos
Archaeology & games
Sybille Lammes
Play & new media
Angus Mol
Digital humanities & games