TÜRSAB-İstanbul Archaeological Museums Cooperation, Support and Service Protocol
The İstanbul Archaeological Museums has a very special place concerning the Turkish museology, due to the diversity and richness of its collections and since it was established as a result of the westernization movements that had marked the last century of the Ottoman Empire. The famous painter, curator and archaeologist Osman Hamdi Bey, who became the director of the museum in 1881, extended the collections of the museum through excavations carried out in different sites within the borders of the empire and he was able to bring the İstanbul Archaeological Museums to European standards.
In the course of time, the circumstances surrounding the museum have changed and some short-comings, especially those concerning visitor services have became unignorable, in comparison with world museums that are its rivals in terns of their collections.
The support, service and cooperation protocol signed by TÜRSAB and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism aims at supporting the activities of the İstanbul Archaeological Museums and to increase its contributions to the country's culture and tourism.
Within the framework of this protocol, initially, a corporate identity work was carried out for the İstanbul Archaeological Museums. Visitor services were examined and a trained staff was formed. Catering areas and the souvenir and book shop have started to be renewed. All revenues from these facilities will be used for the museum.
An advisory board consisting of experts of renovation and development was established to achieve the purposes mentioned above. The scientific advisory board consists of Prof. Dr. Metin Sözen, Prof. Dr. Haluk Abbasoğlu, Dr. Nazan Ölçer (Director of the Sabancı Museum) and Dr. İsmail Karamut (former Director of the İstanbul Archaeological Museums).
TÜRSAB is going to use its own resources as well as the revenues of the museum, and sign sponsorship agreements with companies valuing the world's cultural heritage.
An Inviting-Welcoming-Entertaining Museum
Within the scope of the İstanbul Archaeological Museums Development Project, it is aimed at making the İstanbul Archaeological Museums an 'inviting, welcoming and entertaining' museum.
The communication programs that are going to be realized within this context will aim at introducing the museum to more people and to give an idea about the place.
The fulfillment of the promises made during the invitation of visitors is the claim of the 'welcoming' museum.
Other projects that are being planned are oriented towards 'entertaining' the visitor. Thus, the museum will be able to express itself better to its visitor and meet expectations.