TEHIC-Handbook_of_best_practices

113 7.1.1. Betina Museum of Wooden Shipbuilding Criteria it meets and justification 1. Time and Sustainability Time path of the project After its opening in 2015, the Betina Museum of Wooden Shipbuilding has been creating, step by step, intense educational/interpretive programmes for which the Museum was awarded in 2019 by Europa Nostra, for its education training and awareness-raising. While the Betina Museum of Wooden Shipbuilding is proud of it, the Betina Museum goes on. And every year the Museum is developing new programmes, addressing educational and interpretive ideas and projects. An example of this is the activity on how to build your own boat, which is intended to elementary school kids from the county, but also to other Croatian, or even foreign regions. Another example is the expansion of its influ - ence within a territory which officially does not belong to the Museum, but which is claimed by the local community to be recognised as being part of its area of influence (e.g., the old harbour). Sustainability The Betina Museum of Wooden Shipbuilding represents a case study of heritage action/ museum which provides educational, social, and cultural services for the local communi- ty and for seasonal visitors or tourists as well. Broadly speaking, Croatia suffers from a major imbalance between the considerable number of tourists visiting the country in the summer (from late June to early September, the summer high season) and those who come the rest of the year. Accordingly, many heritage attractions in Croatia end ‘in the same trap,’ focusing on summer months only. But that is not the case of Betina Museum of Wooden Shipbuilding, which is opened all year around, and where its devoted staff plan activities in July likewise important as in February or December, since the Betina Museum considers that local people are just as important as tourists, who are always welcome. 2. Community engagement Degree of engagement Co-creation The BetinaMuseumof Wooden Shipbuilding is a case study of a community-built museum. Without the engagement of the Betina Gajeta 1740 Association (local OCS) it would have