Abstract:

Although there are many hypothetical studies and suggestions regarding the introduction of the site and the visitor experience, the number of practical examples on this subject is few. Agora of Smyrna, located within the borders of Konak District of Izmir Province, welcomes thousands of visitors every year with the effect of its convenient urban location, and this number continues to increase each year. Various projects are being prepared to increase the visitor experience in the Smyrna Agora, it is aimed to introduce the area and to provide information about the history and archeology of Smyrna/İzmir for visitors of all ages. Within the scope of the ‘Heritage Alive’ project carried out by the İzmir Association for the Protection and Development of Urban Values (Kentimiz İzmir) and completed in 2022, various practices were carried out to increase the visitor experience and to produce innovative promotional-interpretation tools in the focus of the Agora of Smyrna. In this study, national and international practices on the subject were examined, and the role of the vehicles produced within the scope of the ‘Heritage Alive’ project  in the promotion of the Agora of Smyrna was emphasized. Within the scope of the project, the outputs related to the contribution of innovative heritage tools developed with international partners to the visitor experience and international recognition in the Smyrna Agora were evaluated. At this point, the steps followed in order to convey the connection between the physical visibility of cultural assets in archaeological sites and what they represent to the visitor in a simple way while preserving their integrity are introduced. In recent years, it has been defined how digital applications and program outputs, which are defined only through museums with different approaches, can be constructed at a site with a holistic perspective.

Keywords: