Turkish museums in progress

Over the past 10 years, Turkey has been working to increase its number of museums and keep them up to contemporary standards, while also keeping in mind the necessity of quality over quantity In recent years Turkey has taken large strides to develop museums of international standards, which have opened one after the other. Radical change has been seen both in the museums’ physical structures and in the service mentality of Anatolia.

“Especially over the last 10 years, Turkey has gained speed and began establishing museums matching international criteria,” said Cultural Heritages and Museums Deputy General Director Zülküf Yılmaz.

Yılmaz said the definition of what constitutes a museum had already changed: Museums are no longer limited and static places, but instead have become social arenas where people interact with each other or objects, he said. 

“We have started establishing modern museums as the necessity of the time. We need to open museums that offer education, maintenance ateliers [and] depots to keep artworks for at least 40-50 years, and places for visitors to eat, drink and shop, with large display areas as well,” Yılmaz said. He added that the country’s developments were reflected in the changes within its museums.

Yılmaz said while museum management diversified Turkish museums, they also enhanced existing ones. “We have policies for museums to go through a fast transformation process and acquire a new identity to suit the 21st century,” he said.

Turkey has 193 museums affiliated with the Culture and Tourism Ministry, 136 restored ancient sites and 195 private museums, according to Yılmaz. He said the number of museums in some developed countries reached into...