Visitor management at historical monuments and sites as preventive conservation: Case study of Topkapi Palace Museum

Historical monuments and sites are exposed to many affects throughout time due to various reasons. Nowadays, effects of modern lifestyle and daily routine are the additional factors that complicate conservation of cultural heritage. Contemporary interest in history and culture also affects historic monuments and sites, and leads to an increase in tourism. Economic benefits of tourism are often came into prominence, and consequently impacts on the museums and heritage sites are mostly ignored. In this thesis, visitor management planning process which reduces visitor impacts and risks on architectural heritage is presented within the framework of preventive conservation. In this scope, an alternative suggestion to visitor management process in the case study of Topkapı Palace Museum is aimed to be presented. In the introduction, aim of the study along with methods and research process are explained. In the second chapter, visitor impacts on historical monuments and sites are stated along with the causes and the consequences. At the end of this chapter, the concept and evolution of preventive conservation is briefly articulated and the importance of this approach in visitor impact control is emphasized. In the third chapter, scope of visitor management plan and the planning process are aimed to be explained. In line with this, planning process and the main concepts that frame this process are defıned. Afterwards, visitor management planning methods are examined along with the visitor management practices and strategies, and case studies that examplifies this process are articulated. At the end of the chapter, visitor management planning process that explained throughout this chapter is evaluated and a planning process diagram is created. In the fourth chapter of the study, analysis and evaluation of current situation of the case study subject Topkapı Palace Museum are addressed. In line with this, starting with Topkapı Palace Museum's relations with Sultanahmet Archeological Park World Heritage Site and Sur-i Sultani, its bounded institutions, legal regulations and related projects are articulated. Following the explanation of brief history, evolution of conservation application processes and the current situation, museum's visitor management practices are mentioned and the visitor impacts which are observed during the study process are stated. At the end of the chapter, findings are evaluated and interpreted. The fifth chapter which includes the proposals for Topkapı Palace Museum visitor management plan process is based on the visitor management planning process framework that is obtained in the third chapter of the study. In the guidance of this, at the begining of the planning process participants and stake holders are suggested, and the importance of considering the future visitor management planning also at the scale of Sur-i Sultani is emphasized. For the other stages of the planning process, the methods which will be followed are specified, possible management strategies are suggested. At the end of the chapter following the visitor management plan for the Topkapı Palace Museum, suggestions towards sustainability of the conservation are proposed. Today, many of the historic monuments and sites in Turkey are under threat of visitor impact related damage. Indeed, in some World Heritage Sites the mentioned damages can be observed. Preparing an effective visitor management plan following the modern preventive conservation principles is of the utmost importance for the preservation of historical monuments and sites for future.