Exhibiting intangible culturel heritage in museums: Example of Bocuk Night

Intangible cultural heritage consists of elements such as; oral traditions, societies' cultures, beliefs, language, rituals, folk tales, rhymes, sayings, music and poems, handcrafts, culinary and medical knowledge specific to each culture. Intangible cultural heritage has a more dynamic characteristic compared to the tangible cultural heritage and is constantly renewing and changing. Therefore, the intangible cultural heritage is vulnerable due to its fragility and due to being natural, it needs to be protected like tangible cultural heritage elements. Bocuk Night, celebrated on the coldest night of the year in Çamlıca district of Edirne's Keşan district, is a ritual with ideas such as a more productive and fertile spring season, unity, togetherness, protection from evil, and being in touch with nature. It is a demonstration of multicultural background of Edirne and it has developed some unique celebration practices as a result of cultural interactions. These rituals are threatened by globalization and tourism. Thus, they should be exhibited in museums with oral history studies and the collection of material culture. Given the educational function of museums, the unity, togetherness, and the values of nature that lie behind the rituals can be passed on to children who are important for the preservation of intangible cultural heritage. This study vocalizes international conventions, Turkey taking a side and importance of civil society organizations regarding protection and certification of intangible cultural heritage elements. Later, the importance given to intangible cultural heritage in new museums and the exhibition of intangible cultural heritage in museums are explained through intangible cultural heritage museums, city museums and eco-museums. By introducing the Bocuk Night, under the scope of the previous analysis, focus has been set on how this night can be exhibited while considering the possibilities at Edirne's museum facilities. Keywords: Intangible Cultural Heritage, New Museology, Intangible Cultural Heritage Museums, City Museums, Eco-museums, Exhibition Methods, Ritual, Bocuk Night.