A Museographic Approach to Geographical Indicated Handicrafts and Sample of Ankara

Abstract

It is important that tangible and intangible examples of cultural heritage be integrally preserved for reasons of continuity, mutual benefit, and reinforcement. In recent years, highly significant factors such as war, migration, globalization, and tourism have revealed the fragility of cultural heritage. It is therefore essential to recognize the value of cultural heritage as a national treasure that is able to highlight regional differences, but is under constant danger of extinction. In order for cultural heritage to be preserved, the geographical and socio-economic integrity needs to be respected and benign physical conditions be provided. The main purpose of determining the geographical indication (GI) is to protect local/ traditional products (agriculture, mines, handicrafts, and industrial products etc.). GI is a way of distinguishing between local products, and those produced domestically in other regions or imported from abroad. In terms of cultural heritage, there are three important aims of GI: preserving traditional knowledge and cultural values, supporting local products and rural development, and contributing to tourism. Museums today can be seen as being institutions that are not only concerned with the preservation of cultural heritage for collecting, preserving, exhibiting, and training purposes, but also in consideration of the development and implementation of strategies that will enable them to be valuable centers of tourism. In this study, the traditional and contemporary approaches of the exhibiting, researching, introducing, and teaching of geographically indicated products of museums in Turkey are examined, and the publicity, education and research activities that are implemented with geographically indicated products are exemplified through the example of Ankara.

Keywords

• cultural heritage
• geographical indication
• museum
• museography
• sustainable development
• ankara