Fourteenth International Conference on the Inclusive Museum

Abstract

In July 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul, Turkey was re-converted into a working mosque. Many celebrated while numerous others decried the change of status. This paper examines the range of reactions to this “re-sacralization” of a museum, from anxieties about site preservation; to accusations of disrespect for modern concepts of secularism and universal heritage; to celebrations by those who had long called to see Hagia Sophia function as a mosque again. What exactly was at stake in this change of status? This paper uses Hagia Sophia’s conversion as an opportunity to reflect more broadly on the categories of religious and heritage places. I ask: what is the relationship between “religious,” “heritage,” and “political” uses of historical monuments? What does a museum space offer that a religious one cannot (and vice versa)? Using on-site observations and engaging with relevant scholarship on religion and museums, I identify and contrast the different possibilities presented by Hagia Sophia as a museum and Hagia Sophia as a mosque, as well as the limitations presented by each function (regarding visitor use and access, for instance). In particular, I focus on how the notion of inclusiveness operates differently through these two types of spaces. The conflict over Hagia Sophia, I contend, points to some of the unique management and preservation challenges presented by religious cultural heritage. I conclude with some preliminary thoughts on how to address such challenges.