Enhancing the Value of Lost Heritage through Digital Technology

As part of an international partnership between the Coudenberg Palace and the Société du patrimoine urbain de Québec / Îlot des Palais, a series of webinars and study days was organised in 2025 and 2026. This programme, aimed at museum professionals, encouraged the sharing of ideas on the digital promotion of heritage and provided an opportunity to draw inspiration from each other’s practical experiences.

Programma

► Webinar 1. Quebec-Wallonia-Brussels overview (13 February 2025)

This first webinar provided an overview of the digital tools deployed in Quebec and offered an opportunity to explore an interactive Walloon platform combining artificial intelligence and video testimonials. It also highlighted the main challenges associated with their development, as well as sources of inspiration specific to each context.

Participants benefited from the expertise of:

  • François Honhon, Creative Director at Hovertone,
  • Jean-François Gauvin, professor of museology & Marie-Florence Bouchard, doctoral student at Université Laval.

Read a summary of the communications.

► Study days in Brussels & Liège (24 & 25 March 2025)

The two-day seminar gave participants the opportunity to discover a number of digital initiatives implemented in museums in Brussels, Wallonia and Quebec. The mornings were devoted to presentations, whilst the afternoons provided an opportunity to continue discussions on site.

The institutions included the Grand Curtius, the Archéoforum in Liège, the Îlot des Palais, the Société du patrimoine urbain de Québec, MySmartJourney, the Royal Museum of Mariemont, Villers Abbey, urban.brussels, the Horta Museum, the Museums of the City of Brussels, the Halle Gate, the NID and the Coudenberg Palace.

The programme can be viewed here, and a summary of the event is available here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

► Webinar 2. Digital enhancement of lost architectural heritage: Open Source in digital creation applied to museum heritage, utopia or future? (20 November 2025)

This second webinar explored the role of open source in digital creation applied to museum heritage. The discussions focused on issues of autonomy, data protection, budget and sustainability, whilst examining the relevance of these tools for heritage institutions.

Insights from specialists at Visit Brussels (Filip Lannoye) and the University of Montreal (Chateau-Dutier) helped to enrich the discussion on the subject.

  • Filip Lannoye, Head of Digital at Visit Brussels,  
  • Emmanuel Chateau-Dutier, professor at the University of Montreal 

► Webinar 3. Digital technology and lost heritage through the eyes of archaeologists and museologists (12 February 2026)

This meeting highlighted the fundamental role of archaeological research in understanding and passing on our historical heritage. It also prompted reflection on the links between scientific interpretation, digital outreach and cultural experiences accessible to all.

The presentations by the SPW and the Rimouski Heritage Society provided valuable insights into these issues.

  • Frédéric Chantinne, archaeologist attached to the Scientific and Technical Department of the Walloon Heritage Agency, Walloon Public Service (SPW)
  • Louis-Patrick St-Pierre, Director General of the Rimouski Heritage Society (SRP) and Sabrina Gendron, coordinator of the Souvenance project

You can read the summary here. 

► Virtual half-day seminar sessions – Québec (16 & 17 April 2026).

This final event in the programme showcased a number of initiatives from Quebec and Belgium. Participants were introduced to a variety of projects, ranging from the revitalisation of a neighbourhood using augmented reality to the collection of documentary heritage through participatory interfaces, and the exploration of Wendat spirituality and traditional skills.

Thanks to digital technology, numerous sites, monuments and traditional skills have been rediscovered and showcased for the benefit of the public. This programme illustrated the richness of the dialogue between the partners and the diversity of approaches.

The programme and a summary of the presentations are available here.

Additional information

This programme was developed as part of a bilateral partnership between Quebec and Wallonie Bruxelles International.

Need more information? Contact us at press@coudenberg.brussels

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