Twelfth International Conference on The Inclusive Museum

Abstract

Museums are discursive spaces of representation, politics, and knowledge. With their activities, international exhibitions and international partnerships in particular, they affect, shape and sometimes manipulate our ways of looking at the world. Through this, museums not only engage with different aspects of a nation’s culture but also they provide physical environments for the cross-cultural exchange of art, objects, and ideas. When used effectively, museum exhibitions can be turned into useful diplomatic tools, which locate them in a key position within the cultural diplomacy framework. This study examines the soft power potentialities of museums and the roles that they play in international cultural partnerships. Using the Rahmi M. Koc Museum (Istanbul/Turkey)’s blockbuster exhibition “Here Comes the Sun” (2014) as a case study, this study answers two key questions: what role(s) do museums play in cultural diplomacy and how do they convey the messages of soft power? Looking at this exhibition, which was developed and organized in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Istanbul, the study explores the connections and dynamics between international cultural institutions and museums. While exploring the role and value of museums in cultural diplomacy, this study views museums as complex cultural institutions where different aspects of culture – the ideas, values, objects, art, and information – are exchanged and communicated.