22.05.2026 14:21
With the protocol signed between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Türk Telekom under the leadership of President Erdoğan, a transition has been made to a domestic and national digital infrastructure era in museums and archaeological sites. With the new system covering 216 museums and archaeological sites across Turkey, smart ticketing, AI-supported data analytics, digital visitor management, and a next-generation visitor experience will be implemented. The comprehensive transformation aims to carry cultural heritage into the future through technology.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and Türk Telekom CEO Ebubekir Şahin announced the transformation that will reshape the future of Turkey's cultural heritage at the Istanbul Archaeological Museum.
With the protocol signed between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Türk Telekom, a new digital transformation process has begun in museums and archaeological sites. The new model, implemented with a domestic and national infrastructure approach, aims to protect strategic data related to cultural heritage within the country's borders and strengthen digital sovereignty.
At the signing ceremony, Minister Ersoy pointed out that the security of cultural heritage data is an integral part of Turkey's cultural sovereignty, while Türk Telekom CEO Ebubekir Şahin emphasized that the transformation is not merely a project addressing today's needs but constitutes a long-term and strategic investment in Turkey's digital future in culture and tourism.
HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY WILL ENTER THROUGH THE SAME DOOR
Stating that Turkey's cultural heritage is not merely a silent witness of the past, Minister Ersoy emphasized that it is also the most valuable legacy to be left to the future.
Ersoy said, "While preserving this legacy, we are not only protecting stones, artifacts, and structures; we are also carrying our memory, identity, and civilization accumulation to the future."
Stating that this step is not just a ticketing system change, Ersoy expressed that it signifies a transition to an integrated and exemplary model suitable for the needs of the digital age in cultural heritage management.
Ersoy noted that approximately 70 museums and archaeological sites with high visitor potential have been managed with different operating models until today, while services at 118 points are carried out by Ministry personnel, and announced that 28 new museums and archaeological sites planned to open in 2026-2027 will be included in the system.
AN INTEGRATED DIGITAL STRUCTURE WILL BE ESTABLISHED IN 216 MUSEUMS AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
Stating that a broader and more holistic structure covering 216 museums and archaeological sites across Turkey will be established in the new period, Ersoy said that ticket office operations, museum shops, and commercial areas will be managed under a single roof, and the service standard will become uniform nationwide.
Expressing that visitors will not just enter a single museum with the new system, Ersoy said, "They will experience a multidimensional history and culture experience supported by technology."
Stating that the visitor experience will be taken to a new level with fiber infrastructure, widespread Wi-Fi systems, and 5G integration, Ersoy stated that smart ticketing systems, multi-channel digital payment solutions, AI-supported data analytics, AR and VR technologies, audio guide systems, and digital archiving infrastructure will also be implemented.
Emphasizing that smart visitor applications will transform museums into next-generation experience centers, Ersoy stated, "History and technology will now enter through the same door."
DATA IS NOW SECURED WITH NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND TÜRK TELEKOM'S EXPERTISE
Stating that in the age of digital transformation, data is not only a source of information but also a strategic national value, Ersoy said one of the most important aspects of the new model is data security and data sovereignty.
Stating that the new system will be implemented with Türk Telekom's technological knowledge and experience, Ersoy noted that data will be protected within the country's borders thanks to domestic and national infrastructures.
Minister Ersoy said, "With the domestic technological power established by Türk Telekom, our strategic data related to cultural heritage will be secured. This approach is not just a technical preference in today's world. It is also a matter of digital independence. Because the security of data belonging to our cultural heritage is an integral part of our country's cultural sovereignty."
MUSEUM SHOPS AND COMMERCIAL AREAS WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THE TRANSFORMATION
Stating that the new transformation process will not be limited to digital ticketing systems, Ersoy said that commercial operations related to museum shops, cafeterias, sales areas, and visitor services are also addressed within the scope of the new structure.
Stating that museum shops within the protocol will feature Traditional Turkish Handicrafts, Turkish Delight, Turkish Coffee, Turkish Carpet Weaving, Traditional Turkish Ornamental Arts, and intangible cultural heritage elements on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Ersoy stated that products will be sourced from artists certified as Intangible Cultural Heritage Bearers and traditional handicraft masters by the Ministry.
Emphasizing that this model will both preserve cultural heritage and support traditional production and employment, Ersoy announced that sales of these products abroad will be expanded through Türk Telekom's global marketing power and digital stores.
8 BILLION SAVINGS WILL BE ACHIEVED IN 10 YEARS
Stating that within the scope of the new system, the current 292 personnel will be reassigned to different units of the Ministry, Ersoy said an annual savings of approximately 400 million liras will be achieved from severance pay, SSI premiums, and other personal rights.
Ersoy stated that with revaluation projections, this saving will reach approximately 8 billion liras over a 10-year period.
MUSEUM CARD SYSTEM IS CHANGING, IDENTITY CARDS BECOME MUSEUM CARDS
Providing information on the operation of the new system, Ersoy stated that there will be no change for Museum Cards with an existing usage period.
Stating that cards with expired usage periods will switch to the new system, Ersoy announced that Republic of Turkey identity cards will be converted into Museum Cards, gaining direct entry feature.
Ersoy said the system will operate via e-Government and a mobile application, and citizens, after paying the museum card fee, can enter by swiping their identity cards without waiting in line.
EMPHASIS ON DIGITAL FUTURE FROM TÜRK TELEKOM
Türk Telekom CEO Ebubekir Şahin also stated that Türk Telekom is not just a company that establishes communication infrastructure, but an institution that carries technology to every area of life and contributes to Turkey's development journey.
Stating that they have spread technology in many areas from education to health, transportation to production, agriculture to industry, and contributed to the transformation of sectors, Şahin said they played a significant role in the end-to-end digital transformation of the Atatürk Cultural Center, where they blend culture and art with technology.
Şahin, emphasizing that they transfer their technological power to culture, art, and tourism with a value-oriented approach, stated that they have realized many projects such as the digitalization of museums and archaeological sites.
Noting that they have supported the communication infrastructure of over 1,300 libraries, from the Presidential National Library to the Rami Library, with modern networks, Şahin said they are excited to enable the end-to-end digitalization of museums and archaeological sites under the protocol signed today with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Şahin stated that many operations affecting the visitor experience, from ticketing services to sales channels, commercial areas to parking lots, cafeterias to Traditional Handicrafts stores, will be digitalized, and this transformation will be implemented in an integrated manner with fiber infrastructure, cybersecurity, data center, cloud, smart ticketing, payment systems, data analytics, and artificial intelligence capabilities. Şahin said that thus, the digital experience and operational management of museums and archaeological sites will be strengthened under a single holistic structure.
Emphasizing that this work is not just a project responding to today's needs, Şahin stated that it is a long-term and strategic investment in Turkey's digital future in the field of culture and tourism. Stating that they will support national heritage with national technology and wished that this protocol, which will carry cultural heritage to the future with technology, would be beneficial for the country and the nation, Şahin noted that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, they will continue to work with the goal of making the Century of Turkey also the century of digital.