The National Palaces Administration will bring together senior museum leaders from around the world for the international symposium, “A Century of National Palaces,” to be held Nov. 24 and 26 across Dolmabahçe, Topkapı and Yıldız palaces.
Marking the institution’s 100th anniversary, the symposium aims to present Türkiye’s century-long experience in managing palace heritage to the global museum community. According to the administration, 109 high-level participants from 27 countries will attend, with 95 papers to be delivered over three days.
The gathering is designed to underline Türkiye’s role not only in preserving its palace heritage but also in producing and sharing knowledge on it at scientific, cultural and international levels. Since 2018, when National Palaces was placed under the Presidency, major historic sites, including Topkapı Palace, Yıldız Palace, Edirne Palace and Ankara Palas, have been united under one roof, allowing the Ottoman palace legacy to be handled with a comprehensive approach for the first time in the Republic’s history.
One of the symposium’s highlights will be the opening of the Darphane-i Amire complex inside Topkapı Palace, which will host sessions and be accessible to the public for the first time. The event will convene palace museums and cultural heritage institutions from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
Presidents and directors from globally renowned institutions, including Versailles, Fontainebleau, the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation, the U.K. Royal Collection, the Swedish Royal Palaces, the Uffizi Galleries, the Association of European Royal Residences, Spain’s National Heritage, the National Palace Museum of Korea, the Tokyo National Museum, the Palace Museum in Beijing and the National Museum of Brazil, are expected to participate. Representatives from ICOM (International Council of Museums), ICCROM (International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) and ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) will also take part, making the symposium a significant international platform for dialogue on heritage policy.
Sessions will be spread across the three palaces. The opening day at Dolmabahçe will focus on the 100-year institutional story of National Palaces, recent structural reforms and the transformation of royal residences into museums in different countries. Participants will also discuss post-earthquake strengthening, restoration practices and the impact of the climate crisis on heritage sites.
On the second day, sessions at Topkapı Palace’s mint complex will examine conservation, exhibition and accessibility strategies through international case studies. Discussions will explore the contemporary relevance of the Ottoman archive, new museum initiatives such as the National Palaces Porcelain Museum and recent trends in museum design, alongside presentations on scientific analysis and conservation methods.
The final day at Yıldız Palace will compare management models and visitor strategies for palace museums worldwide. Panels will cover the museumification of historic centers, educational programs, representation practices and the cultural and diplomatic dimensions of palace landscapes from Ottoman gardens to European royal parks.
The symposium will conclude with an evaluation session featuring members of the National Palaces Scientific Board and representatives of international organizations.
Organizers say “A Century of National Palaces” aims to go beyond a conventional heritage meeting by addressing how palace museums fit into contemporary museology, how collections, archives, libraries and gardens can be managed sustainably and how new international cooperation and knowledge-sharing opportunities can shape the future of palace heritage.
