Abstract
Crises fundamentally reshape how museums construct and communicate public meaning. This paper explores how social and political disruptions—such as protest movements, pandemics, and large-scale disasters—transform museum narratives and reposition institutions within their wider communities. Focusing on Turkey, the study examines how the Gezi protests, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2023 earthquakes prompted museums such as the Sakıp Sabancı Museum, İstanbul Modern, and İKSV to adopt new modes of engagement. These moments of rupture pushed institutions to move beyond audience-oriented programming toward responses grounded in solidarity, care, and civic responsibility. To broaden the comparative frame, the paper considers Western institutions where crisis conditions similarly accelerated institutional transformation. Tate’s Collective programs, MoMA’s digital outreach initiatives, and community-centered responses from the Rijksmuseum and the Aga Khan Museum illustrate how periods of upheaval can catalyze shifts toward participatory, inclusive, and socially responsive narratives. Through these parallel cases, the paper argues that crises open pathways for museums to redefine their interpretive authority and expand their social function. By shaping public meaning in times of uncertainty, museums position themselves as resilient cultural actors capable of supporting collective understanding, healing, and long-term social cohesion.
Presenters
Nazli Beşer GüngörManager, Community Building, Events and Development, Sabanci University Sakip Sabanci Museum, Istanbul, Turkey
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2026 Special Focus—The Future of Museum Narratives
KEYWORDS
Museum Narratives Audience Development Community Building Crisis Response Public Engagement
