Fostering Heritage Awareness in Schoolchildren through Digital Preservation and Engaging Learning Experiences

Abstract. Preserving cultural heritage sustains the delicate threads of historical identity, yet public awareness, especially among the young, remains fragile. Traditional education often overlooks the importance of heritage conservation, underscoring the need for innovative, immersive learning pathways. This paper presents an innovative educational outreach model that intertwines digitalization with interactive learning to engage schoolchildren in heritage preservation. Inspired by spontaneous participation during fieldwork at Fort Belgica, a Dutch colonial fort, this approach matured into a structured event at the Science fair "Science is Wonderful!" in the Africa Museum, Tervuren, Belgium (March 2025). Over the course of two days, 600 children immersed themselves in a dynamic process of creating replicas of fortifications using accessible tools, such as iPads and 3D puzzles. Through guided stages—theoretical introduction, hands-on digital reconstruction, and analytical assembly of fortification elements—participants developed both technical skills and historical consciousness. Qualitative assessments, supported by observational data, consistently point to heightened participant engagement and a positive reception of the intervention. This practice not only bridges digital innovation with heritage studies but also nurtures a generation of culturally aware citizens, capable of appreciating the intertwined legacies of European fortification traditions and colonial narratives, in harmony with the EU’s 2030 Digital Decade vision.