From heritage restitution to regional tourism: accessibility, digital information and place-based display in Uşak through visitor narratives

Abstract

Purpose This study examines what online visitor reviews reveal about the contribution of displaying the returned Lydian Treasures in Uşak to local tourism and sustainability. It distinguishes restitution to the country of origin from the subsequent place-based display of returned heritage in its region of origin. Design/methodology/approach The dataset comprises 1,388 Google Maps entries for Uşak Archaeology Museum, including 761 written reviews. The study combines manifest content analysis across four categories – collection visibility, accessibility, technology and informational access and sustainability and regional development – with interpretive analysis of relevant reviews. Findings Visitors represent the Lydian Treasures as the museum's main attraction, a reason to travel to Uşak and a source of civic pride. Visitor accounts also connect the collection with other exhibits, travel routes, local businesses and products. Visitors see this potential as constrained by limited promotion, outdated navigation information, insufficient notice of closures and object transfers, and uneven experiences of accessibility. Reviews note mixed upper-floor access experiences and concerns about lighting, signage and interpretation. Proximity to major roads and the railway station supports the museum's role as a regional destination and intermediate cultural stop. Originality/value The study shifts attention from restitution as a legal event to the regional consequences of post-restitution display. It shows how visitor accounts reveal the regional tourism and cultural value of displaying returned heritage near its place of origin, and the institutional conditions needed to realize this potential.