OpenArch connected nine archaeological open air museums, one University and the EXARC association furthering pan-European interest in our local and common European past. This was reached through an improved public experience at archaeological open air museums. Our past comes to life in these museums, appealing to anybody, independent of social, economic, or demographic backgrounds, not just the higher educated. Although the daily struggle for life has been the same everywhere, every region has its own perspective. Those open air museums show a "hands on" living past - not falling into incomprehensible pieces, like in traditional museums. Staff demonstrate techniques, tools and costumes; one can taste food made like in the past or for example one can make fire. There are many links between the past and the present which are exemplified, like our relation with our natural environment. Archaeological open air museums are important to local economic development as they attract many visitors. OpenArch focuses on the dialogue with visitors, the exchange of experience, joint experiments and improved relations with local communities. Ten larger competence-building meetings took place across Europe. Besides that, dozens of staff exchanges and workshops ran in all participating countries. The websites serve as a portal site to this kind of museums (there are about 250 of them in Europe). Publications are used to raise interest in archaeological open air museums and the common European identity they share and promote. The 11 organisations formed a steering group which coordinated the project; they met several times per year. Cooperation was ensured with all museums taking part in all training workshops, the staff exchanges, the production of several products and the project website. The OpenArch network stems from an association called EXARC, which will ensure continuation after 2015, both for its professional network and its portal function towards the public at large.