VIRTUAL ISTANBUL HERITAGE(S)

Abstract

University museums have an overwhelming number of responsibilities to serve their collegiate and surrounding communities. In addition, there is a growing pressure for these institutions with museum studies programs to develop innovative curriculum models that adhere to the needs of outside departments and support their university’s mission to increase its enrollment statistics. This research project will explore new methods in which academic museums can integrate vocational-based pedagogical initiatives that support their own institutional missions, serve their university and surrounding communities, and advance its university goals to increase student enrollment by offering invaluable professional developmental opportunities that positively impact to students in the humanities and in STEM (sciences, technologies, engineering and mathematic)-related fields. Through this research, I hope to ascertain how university museums can develop a wider range of didactic experiential opportunities which will best prepare future professionals either going into a humanities-based field and in other areas of study.