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'The Eyes of History', nominated for the Museums + Heritage Awards but without a final prize

The immersive project of the Catalan Agency for Cultural Heritage has been a finalist in the international category of best digital use, sharing the nomination with initiatives from Malta, Qatar, Australia, Denmark and the United States.

bonart london - 14/05/26

The project The Eyes of History. An immersive look at Catalan heritage , promoted by the Catalan Agency for Cultural Heritage of the Generalitat de Catalunya, was nominated for the XXIV Museums + Heritage Awards, one of the most prestigious international awards in the museum and heritage sector. The gala was held at the Hilton Park Lane in London and was presented by paleoanthropologist and comedian Ella Al-Shamahi.

The Catalan candidacy competed in the Best International Digital Use 2026 category, which recognizes innovative initiatives capable of transforming the cultural experience through new technologies. However, in the end, the project was not awarded.

In the Best Use of Digital – International category of the Museums + Heritage Awards 2026, the winning project was The Caravaggio Wing at St John's Co-Cathedral , promoted by the St John's Co-Cathedral Foundation in Malta. Among the finalist projects selected by the jury were also Qatar Museums AI Tour by Qatar Museums, Mouthful of Dust by the State Library Victoria, The Director's Dilemma by Industrimuseet Horsens, Encounters by the National WWI Museum and Memorial developed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates, and the Catalan proposal.

The nomination places Eyes of History among the most outstanding international projects in the field of digital innovation applied to cultural heritage. Initiatives from Qatar Museums, State Library Victoria, Industrimuseet Horsens, Ralph Appelbaum Associates and the St John's Co-Cathedral Foundation of Malta also participated in this same category.

The project aims to bring Catalan monuments closer to the public through immersive experiences and new digital stories. The proposal promotes the renovation of heritage spaces in Catalonia with innovative museographies based on immersive technology, offering a more experiential and emotional visit. The initiative is built on micro-stories that place visitors in specific moments in history and connect the local dimension with a more universal perspective.

Currently, The Eyes of History is already implemented at the Rock Art Interpretation Center of the Roca dels Moros del Cogul, at the Romanesque Center of the Vall de Boí, at the Cartoixa d'Escaladei, at the Miravet Castle and at the Espai Moja of the Palau Moja in Barcelona, headquarters of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage.

The Museums + Heritage Awards annually recognise the most innovative projects in the cultural and museum sector. This year, the awards have also incorporated categories such as Business of the Year, Team of the Year and Sustainable Project of the Year. The director of the awards, Anna Preedy, has highlighted that these awards “aim to highlight good practice, innovation and projects that really make a difference within the cultural sector”.