Abstract:

Children’s museums are increasingly recognized as inclusive learning environments that support the educational and social development of all children, including those from refugee and migrant backgrounds. This study investigates how children’s museums in Turkey and Germany address the needs of refugee and migrant children through inclusive educational practices. These two countries were selected due to their large refugee and migrant populations and their contrasting institutional approaches to museum education. Germany, with its long-standing tradition of children’s museums and well-established intercultural policies, presents a valuable contrast to Turkey, where migration patterns have shifted more recently and museums often serve broader community functions. The research adopts a qualitative, comparative case study approach and is based on data collected from 34 museums—27 in Turkey and 7 in Germany—through semi-structured interviews with museum educators, program coordinators, and cultural managers, as well as document analysis.

The study examines how educational programs are designed and implemented, the challenges faced during the process, and the strategies used to foster participation and cultural belonging. Specific attention is given to how museums navigate language barriers, form inclusive learning groups, and collaborate with external professionals such as educators, psychologists, and social workers. The findings reveal that while museums in both countries aim to be inclusive, they do so in notably different ways. German museums often operate through specialized educational units with a long-standing tradition of youth programming and intercultural outreach. In contrast, Turkish museums—frequently toy museums with multifunctional roles—incorporate inclusive practices within broader museum education frameworks, often with more limited institutional resources.

These differences are shaped by each country’s institutional structures, cultural contexts, and migration policies. This presentation highlights key practices that enhance access and engagement for refugee and migrant children and discusses the role of children’s museums in promoting intercultural dialogue, empathy, and social cohesion. The findings aim to contribute to broader discussions on how cultural institutions can respond to demographic shifts and support inclusive education beyond formal school settings.

Keywords:

Inclusive education, children’s museums, refugee and migrant children, comparative research.