Firenze Game: App gamification for exploring Florence's cultural heritage

The municipality of Florence has launched Firenze Game, a free mobile app that combines digital card gameplay with physical exploration of the city's cultural heritage. Developed in collaboration with Linea Comune, MUS.E, and Digital Fun/Tuomuseo, the app targets children and young adults. Players create avatars and collect themed cards representing historical periods, symbols, and figures by visiting specific locations such as Piazza Signoria, the Arno riverbanks near Museo Galileo, the Uffizi, and beyond. The app aims to decentralize tourist flows beyond Renaissance itineraries. Fabio Viola, founder of Digital Fun/Tuomuseo and didactic coordinator of the Master in Engagement & Gamification at IED Milan, stated that Firenze Game represents the city's first step toward a 'playable' approach to cultural heritage. Viola emphasized that cultural institutions should become centers of cultural production rather than static consumption. He cited the success of 'Father and Son', a previous videogame produced by the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN), which exceeded 3 million downloads in 14 months. Firenze Game took 7 months to develop and is available on App Store and Google Play.