"SOUVENIR?" A reflection on the object of memory at the Maritime Museum of Barcelona

From May 28th to June 11th, Amics de La Rambla and Elisava present at the Maritime Museum the exhibition "Souvenir?", a reflection on the souvenir object that is sold in Barcelona. This exhibition presents a collaboration between Amics de la Rambla and Elisava, Faculty of Design and Engineering of Barcelona (UVic-UCC) within the framework of the initiative "La Rambla Inventa" and the subject "Project Context: Gift Collection," from the third year of the Degree in Design and Innovation. La Rambla Inventa is part of the project "La Rambla, a new model of Urban Tourism 2023-2027," with which Amics de La Rambla aims to reflect on Barcelona's tourism model and increase the esteem, connection, and knowledge that the local public has of its most (un)known street. La Rambla has always been, and wants to continue to be, a platform to showcase the creative energies of the neighborhood. Through this collaboration, Amics de La Rambla aims to propose a new souvenir object designed and conceived in Barcelona, created in the city and representing us. 21 young designers have reimagined the concept of souvenir through Catalan cultural tradition, symbolism, storytelling, and materiality as drivers of design, generating a collection of objects for remembrance that reflect the essence and local authenticity of Barcelona, particularly La Rambla. To enrich the design process and strengthen the connection with local craftsmanship, the participating students have worked with four artisans who have shared their knowledge and resources to produce functional prototypes. Simultaneously, a collective editorial piece has been developed where participants present their work accompanied by reflections on key themes addressed in their projects. This initiative stems from a pioneering public-private collaboration in the city. Amics de La Rambla, together with GetYourGuide, the leading online portal for experiences, the Barcelona City Council, and the Government of Catalonia, have promoted a series of activities to promote a change in the narrative on La Rambla. The project called "La Rambla, a new model of urban tourism" consists of seven lines of action for the period 2023 to 2027 with the same objective: to strengthen the image of the promenade and bring La Rambla back to the people of Barcelona.