Turkey's rapid museum expansion
Turkey's tourism sector is being galvanized by a museum boom as the government invests in promoting its Ottoman heritage.
In the first five months of this year, the number of foreign visitors to Turkey rose to 10.9 million, 4.8% more compared with the same period in 2013, according to data released by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
A considerable increase in the number and diversity of restored and new museums across the country has been an important part of government’s strategy to contribute to Turkey’s image as a top tourist destination. Between 2000 and 2013, the number of overall visitors increased 335%, while the number of visitors to museums and historic sites increased 428.8%.
Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism places the total number of museums in 2013 at 370, 188 of which were affiliated with Ministry of Culture and Tourism and 182 of which were private museums (a figure that rose to 192 in May 2014). At the time of publication, 16 museums were under restoration, and development and launching processes were ongoing for 34 others.
This museum boom should be no surprise. According to The Economist’s special report on museums, when it comes to “the more affluent parts of the developing world,” in addition to private individuals, it is mainly governments that invest in museums, as they “want their countries to be regarded as culturally sophisticated.” For them, museums are “symbols of confidence, sources of public education and places in which a young country can present a national narrative.”
