The Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) has recently released its 2022 Cultural Heritage Statistics, showcasing a growth in the number of museums across the country.
In 2022, Türkiye witnessed a 6.4% increase in its museum count compared to the previous year, bringing the total number to 552. These figures highlight the nation's dedication to preserving and celebrating its rich cultural heritage.
Among these museums, 211 are under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, while the remaining 341 fall into the category of private museums.
Additionally, Türkiye boasts 144 archaeological sites, further contributing to its vibrant cultural landscape.
One of the most remarkable aspects of this surge in museum numbers is the growth in the total number of exhibits on display. In 2022, the museums collectively housed a staggering 3,750,120 artifacts, marking a 0.8% increase compared to the previous year. Notably, government-managed museums saw a 0.7% growth in the number of exhibits, reaching 3,325,643.
Impressively, 88.0% of these artifacts have been meticulously inventoried, ensuring their preservation for generations to come. Meanwhile, private museums saw their exhibit numbers rise by 1.6%, totaling 424,477.
These exhibits span a diverse range of categories, with 60.1% comprising coins, 27.5% archaeological materials, 6.8% ethnographic items and 3.6% tablets.
The surge in museum numbers has also resulted in a significant boost in visitorship. In 2022, the combined number of visitors to museums and archaeological sites skyrocketed by 97.1%, reaching a remarkable 45,822,525. Impressively, 67.5% of these visitors explored the museums and archaeological sites overseen by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Among them, 17,796,860 visitors explored the fee-based government-owned museums and archaeological sites, accounting for 38.8% of the total visitor count.
Private museums saw an astonishing 125.3% increase in visitors, with 14,890,214 individuals enjoying their offerings.
Besides museums and archaeological sites, Türkiye's cultural heritage also extends to immovable cultural assets. In 2022, there was a 2.4% increase in the number of immovable cultural assets, totaling 122,124. Istanbul boasts the highest concentration of these assets, with 33,479, followed by Izmir with 7,899 and Muğla with 4,896.
Furthermore, the total number of protected archaeological sites experienced a 6.3% increase compared to the previous year, totaling 23,632, with archaeological sites constituting 96.9% of the total.
