Building on the momentum of Twin it! 3D for Europe’s Culture (June 2023 – June 2024), the Europeana Initiative and the European Commission have just announced the launch of Twin it! Part II during the Polish, Danish and Cypriot Rotating Presidencies of the Council of the EU. This next chapter aims to further support EU Member States in their 3D digitisation and preservation efforts — now with a sharper focus on how the digitised assets will be used. The announcement was made at the opening of Europeana 2025 - Preserve, Protect, Reuse on 11 June in Warsaw.
Building on Twin it! momentum
Twin it! united all EU Member States around a shared goal and sparked strong momentum for 3D digitisation across the cultural heritage sector. One of its key achievements was the submission of 37 high-quality 3D models representing buildings, sites and objects from every EU Member States, plus one guest country. Twin it! Part II will build on this success, driving forward the ambitions of the common European data space for cultural heritage to increase the amount of high-quality, fit-for-purpose 3D digitised content.
The Twin it! Call to Action: Boosting 3D for Europe's Culture by 2030 was published as a key outcome of the first campaign phase and outlines seven priorities to advance 3D digitisation in Europe. Among these priorities are the need for a purpose-driven, user-focused approach to 3D digitisation, and the importance of promoting reuse through enablement and capacity-building. Twin it! Part II will directly respond to these priorities, building on the lessons and principles established in the first phase.
Twin it! Part II: What’s new?
The new phase of the campaign will further unlock the power of 3D digitisation, driving meaningful reuse across sectors to expand the reach and impact of cultural data, and boost innovation and competitiveness across the cultural heritage ecosystem.
In Twin it! Part II, Ministries of Culture of the European Union Member States are invited to collaborate with their national cultural institutions to submit at least one high-quality 3D-digitised heritage asset to the data space with clear reuse intent, along with additional data, paradata and metadata. The goal is to collect and showcase 3D samples of Europe’s cultural heritage, highlighting how Member States aim to make practical use of their digitised assets.
Upon submission, Member States will be asked to clearly specify the intended use of each 3D object, promoting intentional and purpose-driven digitisation. A fit-for-purpose 3D object is one that is digitised and published online with a clear goal, reflecting the specific intent, aim and scope defined by the cultural heritage institution that created it.
In addition to submitting 3D models of the selected heritage assets, Member States will be invited to include additional data —such as 2D images, detailed information about specific elements or movable objects within a site, or metadata about the 3D model itself. This approach will create richer, more dynamic and multidimensional representations of heritage assets, unlocking greater potential for reuse in applications like XR experiences. As a result, submissions won’t just replicate the physical form of the asset in 3D; they will also capture its historical context and stories, enhancing both preservation and creative reuse.
Twin it! Part II will culminate in a high-level final event where Ministers will showcase their submitted 3D assets and share their vision for reuse. It will also engage creators, developers, and cultural heritage enthusiasts to explore innovative ways to reuse the collected 3D models. For a flashback, we invite you to revisit the Twin it! Part I high-level event in Brussels!
How to contribute
The campaign will primarily target Member States, while also running a parallel strand to engage professionals, reuse communities and citizens. Building on the first phase, we will continue to activate partnerships with key initiatives across the sector. Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities and ways to get involved by following us on LinkedIn and Bluesky!
You can also explore the 3D content available on Europeana.eu. If you are looking for help with the 3D digitisation of cultural heritage, you can access documentation and support on the Europeana Knowledge Base.
