Each city is a source of knowledge and inspiration, let alone a place like Gdańsk. Its space is a text recording more than 1000 years of history. Each year, each building adds elements to this meaningful "urban puzzle”. However, doesn’t this volume of content and message prevent us from the most important question: Why does Gdańsk look this way? "Pick up monuments!" project encourages to ask questions and search for answers. It shows that the city and its space is constantly a subject to change and can be "composed" as a jigsaw puzzle.

Massive destruction after World War II meant that the city had to be virtually re-created. For this reason, many of its sites have not been rebuilt with historical fidelity, and a lot of architectural elements have not returned to their original places. This has led to a situation in which Gdańsk has become a sort of "puzzles”. Such was the case of two objects, administered by the Baltic Sea Cultural Centre - Old Town Hall and St. John’s church. Our task will be to "pick up the monuments," bringing back the knowledge and awareness of not only the original appearance of these buildings, but of the whole of Old and Main Town.

We have invited to residents of Gdańsk: children, adults and seniors to participate in the project. City tours has an extremely visual aspect, but we're not going to focus solely on sight, that’s why there are also actions directed the blind. During a unique program - "Monuments to touch", we are going to approach cultural tourism in an innovative way and print on a 3D printer Old Town Hall and St. John’s church, and using the methodology of "design thinking" we plan to solve other "urban" problems of the blind.

At the workshop for families "monument in 3D", 3D printing will help us to restore the appearance of the interiors of the former Gdansk tenement . Trams on Długa Street will be restored through stop-motion animation. Pre-war Gdańsk will come to life again on analogue film during experimental workshops "Monument – Stop – Frame” and on canvas created by kids during classes "Gdańsk painted". Students of primary and secondary schools are welcome to interactive walks " Monuments collectors " and seniors to meetings "Gdańsk anew". At those meetings we will combine the memories of noble residents of Gdańsk with universal history.

The finale of the project will be an urban game for families, during which everyone will be able to "pick up" trivia, puzzles and information on the Free City. The "Pick up monuments!" project is the result of cooperation Baltic Sea Cultural Centre with “Dwie Ole” workshop. The project received funding from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, making admission to all workshops free and after its completion we will publish a book collecting knowledge of the “missing parts" of Gdansk. The book will be free to pick up at the Baltic Sea Cultural Centre in November 2015.