Public archaeology experiences through international mobility between Europe and Asia

Within the framework of the PhD project of the University of Ferrara, two international research mobilities were carried out at partner museums in Europe and Asia. These experiences made it possible to engage with different museum contexts and to experiment with innovative approaches to communicating prehistoric heritage through educational activities, workshops, and public archaeology initiatives.

Visitor Profile: Who visits the Krapina Neanderthal Museum?
Habits, satisfaction, comparisons, and insights into European audiences

Investigating the modes and different exhibition techniques used to present prehistoric archaeological heritage is at the core of the PhD research of Nicolò Scialpi at the Department of Humanities, Section of Prehistoric and Anthropological Sciences, University of Ferrara.
As part of his research activities, from September to December 2025 Nicolò visited the Krapina Neanderthal Museum (Muzej krapinskih neandertalaca) in Croatia.

The purpose of the stay in Krapina was not only to observe the exhibition techniques adopted by Croatian colleagues and to compare them with those used at Fumane Cave; a fundamental part of the investigation and of the PhD project is also to understand and study the type of audience that visits the museum, their habits, and above all their relationship with science, prehistoric archaeology, human evolution, and the ways in which they access and engage with this information.

Through a survey, visitors were invited to freely share their opinions at the end of the visit, highlighting the aspects that impressed them the most and testing their knowledge, whether acquired during the visit or already possessed beforehand.
A key aspect of the data collection activity was to understand who is visiting the museum: interests, habits, attachment to the themes presented, and a brief, anonymous demographic profile.

The bottom line: the Krapina Museum is loved by its visitors! Not only that, but the Croatian audience appears genuinely interested in prehistory and human evolution, while also expressing a desire to further explore these topics beyond the museum context. And this is a very important result!

And at the end of the experience? A lesson in stone knapping! During the final weekend of the data collection phase, Nicolò proposed a small stone knapping demonstration for museum visitors. They were able to watch the raw material being worked right before their eyes, seeing and handling prehistoric tools that only moments earlier they had observed inside display cases. On this occasion as well, the Krapina audience proved to be active and engaged, asking questions and requesting further explanations even after the demonstration had ended.

A truly well-rounded experience of sharing museum knowledge and archaeological practice—ending, inevitably, with a touch of nostalgia.

Drawing Prehistory: Fumane Cave in South Korea
A creative bridge between Italy and Asia through an international drawing workshop

During the mobility period envisaged by the PhD project of the University of Ferrara, “The Fumane Cave: a Public Archaeology Project between Territorial Network, Archaeological Dissemination, and Impact on the Territory”, part of the work was carried out at the Seokjangni Museum in Gongju, South Korea.
In this context, Chiara Zen—PhD candidate in Human Sciences and comic artist—had the opportunity to develop and test an educational workshop designed for an international audience.

Over the three-month mobility period, for about one and a half months during weekends—mainly dedicated to families and children—a creative drawing workshop was offered with the aim of introducing participants to Fumane Cave, one of the most important Palaeolithic prehistoric sites in Europe.

The participating children were guided in creating an Ice Age animal inspired by European cave paintings. At the end of the workshop, each child received an information sheet about Fumane Cave, allowing them to take home a small piece of experience and knowledge in the form of images and text.

The workshop demonstrated how visual language can overcome linguistic barriers: without the need for complex translations, drawings, comics, and illustrations became effective tools of communication. As Chiara Zen herself stated when reflecting on the experience:

“It was surprisingly beautiful to discover how much it was possible to communicate with people through drawing,
even without sharing the same language.
Art created an immediate dialogue.”

The response from the public was very positive: the interest, curiosity, and questions raised showed that the idea of building a bridge between European prehistory and an Asian context can truly work. In this setting, Fumane Cave did not remain a distant place, but arrived in Gongju, South Korea, with its story told through pens, colors, and images.