Virtual reality, 3D glasses, holograms, interactive games... An immersive experience hand in hand with new technologies that allows us to delve into the heritage of Catalunya, learn about the Mediterranean diet, take a tour of Catalan culture and highlight our language. All these experiences can be lived, for free, in the new Espai Moja. Catalunya: Patrimoni Viu, a facility dedicated to the promotion and dissemination of Catalan cultural heritage that opened this December on the ground floor of Palau Moja, on La Rambla in Barcelona.
Espai Moja was born with the aim of making Catalan heritage wealth more accessible and using new technologies to serve its content, to bring heritage closer. In this sense, one of the priorities of the Departament de Cultura in this legislature is to value heritage as an element of collective identification. To socialize it is to make it available to everyone and to understand it as a key factor for the social, territorial and economic development of the country.
This proposal is part of the project Els ulls de la història. Una mirada immersiva sobre el patrimoni català, which aims to bring heritage closer to citizens through new narratives and the use of immersive technology.
Els ulls de la història is structured around three axes: the didactic experience in schools, the renovation of narrative and museography in five historical monuments, and Espai Moja. The basis of the project focuses on a new way of explaining specific moments in the history of Catalunya and its heritage through micro-stories that place the visitor in a specific time and place, emphasizing what is local and everyday.
The Conjunt del Vall de Boí, the Monestir de Sant Pere de Rodes and the Castell de Miravet will be the next scenarios to be renovated, after the recent actions in the Centre d'Interpretació d'Art Rupestre del Cogul and the Cartoixa d'Escaladei, which are already open to the public.
A new spatio-temporal reality
The Espai Moja becomes a bridge connecting the past with the present, a place where cultural heritage ceases to be a concept to transform into an intense and exciting experience. The visit has been conceived as a journey through time and territory, in which the visitor will experience different moments of history firsthand. This journey begins by crossing the portal of time, which leads to a new spatio-temporal reality, where the public will relive scenes from the past that have created Catalonia's millenary heritage.
The exhibition also allows visitors to explore the content from different perspectives, with a flexible approach that adapts to their interests and levels of knowledge. The various spaces offer multiple levels of reading, from a taste of Catalonia's cultural richness to a deep immersion for more specialized audiences. To ensure accessibility for all audiences, Espai Moja has a platform that displays content adapted for easy reading, sign language, and audio description.
Emotions, landscapes, voices, and gastronomy
Within emotions, the virtual reality experience Càpsules del temps; La cúpula immersiva; Emocions dins la festa, and the question and answer game Llengua viva are offered. Within the thematic framework of landscape, it offers the interactive map Paisajes llenos de historias, the immersive room El mirall dels mil reflexos and the chronological axis Empremtes a través del temps. L'eco de les veus allows listening to the stories of 27 historical figures who left their mark on heritage objects. Within the thematic area of creations, Tothom a taula! is framed, an interactive module that brings Catalan cuisine closer to the visitor.
On the other hand, other spaces that complete the visit to Espai Moja are the Gil x Espai Moja cafeteria and a tourist information point (PAT). Gil Forn de Pa i Pastisseria is a family business with more than 130 years of history that offers an ideal gastronomic proposal for those who want to enjoy artisanal products. Its gastronomic offer, of pastries and cakes, is inspired by the authentic flavors of Catalan gastronomy hand in hand with the popular calendar. They will offer some traditional products such as coca de Sant Joan, carquinyolis, panellets and the roscón de reyes.
The Espai Moja also includes an official Tourist Information Point of the Generalitat de Catalunya, managed by the Directorate General of Tourism on La Rambla in Barcelona, which offers tourist information for all of Catalonia.