Frequently asked questions

What is the Emblem app?

Emblem is a free mobile app for collecting digital souvenirs, called Emblems, at real places. Each Emblem is an artwork credited to its Emblem creator or partner, and you can only collect it by being there. Passports group Emblems into routes, and everything you collect stays together on your profile. Full answer

How do I collect an Emblem?

Sign in, find an Emblem on the map or in a passport, and go to its place. Open it and tap Collect. The app checks your location and lets you add a photo and a message, then you tap Collect again to finish. A few places also ask you to scan a QR code there. Full answer

Is Emblem free?

Yes. The app is free to download and many passports are free to collect. Paid passports, Coin packs, Emblem Membership and tips for creators are optional in-app purchases, and your store shows the local price before you pay. Full answer

Where do I download Emblem, and which phones work?

Get Emblem free from the App Store, for iPhone and iPad with iOS 15 or later, or from Google Play, for Android phones with GPS. In a web browser, at emblemdigitalsouvenirs.com/app, you can collect free Emblems that don't need a QR code. Use the links on this website to make sure you get the Emblem app. Full answer

Do I need internet? Can I collect offline?

Yes, you need a connection to collect, because Emblem confirms your visit and saves it to your account online. Collecting offline isn't available yet, and Coins and rewards also need a connection. Pages you've already opened may still show offline, but they can be out of date.

Which languages does Emblem support?

The Emblem app is available in 22 languages. This website is available in 12: English, French, German, Luxembourgish, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Arabic. Individual Emblem descriptions are localised per passport and may vary.

How does Emblem know I'm really there?

When you tap Collect, your phone sends a fresh GPS reading and Emblem's servers compare it with the Emblem's place. If you're inside its collection area, the Emblem goes into your passport and onto your profile; if not, it stays locked. Photos, check-ins or claims from elsewhere can't unlock an Emblem, so each one stands for a real visit.

How close do I need to be? What if the place is closed?

You need to be inside the Emblem's collection area: 150 metres around the place, unless that Emblem sets its own distance. That usually means you can collect from the street even when the building is closed. If it doesn't work, step outside or give your GPS a moment to settle.

Why can some Emblems only be collected at certain times?

Some Emblems belong to an event or a launch, so they can only be collected between a start and an end time. Others have a limited number of copies. The Emblem's page in the app, and our Events page, show when and where you can collect it.

What are AR Emblems?

Some Emblems come with a 3D version. Tap View in AR on the Emblem's page to see it through your camera, in the space around you.

What is a passport?

A passport is a set of Emblems that share a theme, a city or a country, like a route through places. You collect each Emblem at its own place, and the passport shows your progress. Some passports also have quizzes, titles or partner rewards. Full answer

Which passports can I collect right now?

Besides the Luxembourg Passport · Youth for Peace, live passports include the Jacques Schneider Passport, the Yekaterinburg and Kyiv passports, Emblem's World Heritage Passport and the Expo Passport with Emblems around the world. New passports are added over time, and the Passports page lists them all. Full answer

What is the Luxembourg Passport · Youth for Peace?

It is Emblem's flagship passport: 42 Emblems at 42 places across Luxembourg, 40 of them by 18 Emblem creators. It was developed with support from UNESCO's Youth for Peace: Intercultural Leadership Programme (2025–2026). It is a paid passport. Older versions of the app show it as “Luxembourg Passport YFP”. Full answer

What is Youth for Peace, and does UNESCO support Emblem?

Youth for Peace is UNESCO's Intercultural Leadership Programme (2025–2026) for young changemakers. Founder Daniel Michels was selected for it, and the programme supported Emblem's Luxembourg Passport · Youth for Peace. Emblem itself is independent and isn't an official UNESCO app. Full answer

What are Pavilions?

Pavilions are Emblem's pages for countries, territories and communities. Open one in the Pavilions tab to explore its places, food, music, stories and passports. Territories sit inside their Pavilion.

What are Emblem Coins?

Coins are Emblem's in-app balance. You earn them by collecting at new eligible places, scoring 5/5 on a quiz, unlocking titles, completing passports and finishing one-time missions, and you can also buy packs of 5, 15 or 30. Spend them on partner rewards or premium passports. Coins never expire and can't be transferred or exchanged for cash.

How do quizzes, stars and titles work?

Many Emblems have a five-question quiz you can take once you've collected them. Each correct answer earns a star, and stars count toward titles you can show under your name. Your first 5/5 on an Emblem also earns Coins. You can take a quiz again whenever you like.

How do partner rewards work?

Partner venues in Luxembourg and Yekaterinburg offer rewards you unlock in the app. Each one shows what it needs, usually a number of Emblems from a passport plus some Coins. Once unlocked, the reward waits in Rewards. Show it at the venue and confirm it only when staff ask you to; it then moves to Redeemed and can't be used again.

What is a Lucky Emblem?

During a Lucky campaign, collecting an eligible Emblem gives you a chance to win a partner reward, picked at random. The Emblem shows your chance, which depends on the campaign, and each collection counts as one attempt. A win turns the Emblem holographic and adds the reward to Rewards; you keep the Emblem either way.

Can I give an Emblem as a gift?

Yes. At the Emblem's place, tap Collect, then Gift. Choose an Emblem user, or send a private link, and add a letter, a Dual photo or a delivery date. You keep your own Emblem, the other person decides whether to accept, and a gift doesn't count as a visit or unlock passport progress or rewards. Full answer

How many gifts can I send?

Without Membership you can send up to 5 gifts a day (counted in UTC), and each Emblem can be gifted once. Links and scheduled gifts count too. If you cancel a gift before it's delivered, or a gift link expires without being claimed, you can gift that Emblem again; it still counts toward that day's 5. With an active Emblem Membership there's no daily limit, and you can gift the same Emblem to more people.

What does Emblem Membership include?

While it's active, Membership adds a Member checkmark beside your name. Where a campaign offers a Member rate, you get the Member chance shown for each campaign (never above 100%). You also get unlimited daily gifts, repeat gifts of the same Emblem and Pavilion gift wrapping. Pick a monthly, 3-month or yearly plan in the app; it renews until you cancel it in your Apple or Google account, and deleting the app or your account doesn't cancel it.

Which passports cost money?

Many passports are free to collect. The main paid one today is the Luxembourg Passport · Youth for Peace: its Emblems unlock once you buy it, and your store shows the local price. Some paid passports can also be unlocked with Emblem Coins. Either way, access stays with your account.

Can I tip an Emblem creator?

Yes, where a creator accepts tips. You can send a small tip from their profile or when you collect their Emblem, and your store shows the price. Every tip is split 50/50 between the creator and Emblem. Tips are currently open for the creators of the Luxembourg Passport · Youth for Peace.

How do I get a refund?

Purchases are billed by Apple or Google, so ask for a refund through your store's refund process. If you need help, contact us with your order reference. Your legal rights still apply, including the 14-day right of withdrawal where it applies.

Is my location private?

Emblem uses your precise location to check collections and to show what's near you. With “While using”, it's only used while the app is open. On iPhone, choose “Always” only if you also want an alert when an Emblem is nearby while the app is closed; Android doesn't send that alert while the app is closed. Emblem doesn't sell your movement history, and the privacy policy has the details. Full answer

Can I share my collection with friends?

Yes. Your profile shows the Emblems you've collected, and your collection posts appear in the feed, where people can like and comment. In Settings › Privacy you choose who sees each part of your profile: everyone, people you follow, or no one.

Can I collect without showing my name on the feed?

Yes. When you post a collection, turn on “Hide collector on feed”. The post stays on your profile, but on the feed it shows without your name or photo, and the collectors list says “Collected anonymously”.

Is Emblem safe to use?

You need to be 13 or older to create an account, and you don't need payment details to sign up; purchases go through Apple or Google. You can block or report people and posts, and parents can turn on parental controls. The privacy policy and the store privacy labels explain how data is handled.

Can parents limit what a child sees?

Yes. In Settings › Parental controls, set a 4-digit parent PIN, then hide messages, extra media, Dual photos or profile pictures. You can also choose who can send the child gifts (everyone, people they follow, or no one) and whether the child can send gifts. In the latest app version, the controls belong to the account, so they apply on every device. For extra protection, also use your phone's own family settings.

Are Emblems NFTs?

No. The Emblems you collect are digital souvenirs kept in your Emblem account, not NFTs or blockchain tokens. They're about memory, places and the people who made them. Full answer

Will I keep my Emblems if I change phone?

Yes. Your Emblems, Coins and paid passports belong to your Emblem account, not to the phone. Install Emblem on the new phone and sign in to the same account; if your Membership doesn't show straight away, tap Restore purchases.

How do I delete my account?

Go to Settings › Delete account. You can sign back in within 30 days to restore your account; after that you lose access to it, along with your Coins and paid passports. An Apple or Google subscription isn't cancelled automatically, so cancel it in your store. Gifts you've already given stay with the people who received them.

Who creates the Emblems?

Emblems are made by Emblem creators, who are artists and illustrators, and by partner institutions, museums and cultural projects. Each Emblem shows who made it, and creators have their own profiles in the app and on this website. Full answer

Can I become an Emblem creator?

Yes. We work with creators of every style whose work fits a place, a community or a cultural project. Rights, scope and pay are agreed for each project, and you can apply or suggest a project on our creators page. Full answer

Can my business, city or museum work with Emblem?

Yes. Venues, brands, museums, cities and tourism boards can launch their own Emblem, passport or reward without building an app. A typical passport takes about 6 to 8 weeks from agreed scope to launch. Full answer

Who founded Emblem: Digital Souvenirs?

The Emblem project began in 2021 under Daniel Michels, its founder and CEO. Its Luxembourg operating company was incorporated on 14 March 2025. In 2025 Daniel was selected among 8,250 global applicants for UNESCO's Youth for Peace Intercultural Leadership Programme, which supports the Luxembourg Passport project. Full answer

Where is Emblem based?

Emblem is headquartered in Luxembourg, at 19 Rue de l'Industrie, 8069 Bertrange. The company operates globally but started from Luxembourg, which is also home to its flagship collection, the Luxembourg Passport · Youth for Peace. Full answer

How is Emblem different from a game or a check-in app?

Emblem isn't a game, and you don't hunt for hidden objects. Each Emblem is an original artwork tied to a real place and its story, credited to its creator, and you keep them all in one collection across every passport. Full answer