Discover Petra with Ahmad

Discover Petra with Ahmad educational project designed for children visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site of Petra.

Developed in collaboration with the NGO Sela, the project blends storytelling, illustration, and interactive design to create a unique cultural learning experience.

At the heart of the project is Ahmad, a Bedouin child who lives in Petra and guides young visitors through the archaeological site. Together with his family – ten characters inspired by Bedouin culture – Ahmad introduces children to different areas of Petra. Each character is connected to a specific landmark and tells their story in Arabic and English, making the experience inclusive and accessible.

To enhance interactivity, the project integrates QR code totems installed on-site. By scanning them, children can access bilingual stories, illustrations, and multimedia content. For example, Ahmad introduces the Siq at the site entrance, while his grandmother Naima, an archaeologist, explains Petra’s discoveries. His mother Raya shares daily life and a recipe from Colonnade Street, and his grandfather Hawemel plays the rababa in a dedicated video.

We also developed interactive learning stations using the open-source platform ArcheoTrail. ArcheoTrail is a digital tool designed to support archaeologists and cultural heritage projects, allowing sites to be mapped, narrated, and experienced through mobile devices. By integrating ArcheoTrail into the project, we ensured that children could follow Ahmad’s journey both on-site and digitally, turning Petra into a living classroom where history and storytelling meet technology.

The project also included the production of four short YouTube videos, each offering a different perspective on Petra’s culture and daily life:

• Ahmad welcomes children to Petra and introduces them to the site. Link video
• Raya, his mother, demonstrates how to prepare a traditional recipe from Colonnade Street. Link video
• Hawemel, his grandfather, plays the rababa and shares the importance of Bedouin music. link video. Link video
• Fatima highlights the art of wool-making, showing how Bedouin women spin and work the wool. Link video

Although produced with very limited resources, these videos added a dynamic and authentic layer to the project. They prove how creativity, collaboration, and smart use of technology can deliver engaging educational content even under constraints.

I was responsible for the visual and creative direction of the project. This included designing the entire graphic identity, creating the illustrations (using AI-assisted techniques refined with collage and post-production), developing the bilingual storybooks, designing the interactive totems, and co-directing the video production. I also actively contributed to the content development, ensuring consistency and quality across all outputs.

Petra Museum

As part of the Discover Petra with Ahmad educational project, we also developed interactive materials for children visiting the Petra Museum. These included bilingual brochures in Arabic and English designed as playful learning tools.

The brochures feature engaging activities and stickers that children can use to complete games while exploring the museum. Through play, young visitors discover stories, characters, and key facts about Petra’s history and culture in a fun and memorable way.

This playful approach turns the museum visit into an interactive journey, helping children connect with Petra’s heritage while learning across languages.