A Spatial Experience: Interpreting Samsun Through the Lens of Atatürk’s Spaces

This study examines the various dimensions of the visitor experience at historical sites in Samsun directly associated with Atatürk, as well as the relationship between these experiences and the sites’ spatial characteristics. Understanding how visitors experience historical sites is important for revealing how these places are perceived and how their meanings are conveyed. The study is based on data from four locations in the city center of Samsun. A total of 327 visitor comments regarding these sites were analyzed and coded according to the dimensions of SENSE, FEEL, THINK, ACT, and RELATE, based on Schmitt’s (1999) Strategic Experiential Modules (SEMs) approach. The findings indicate that visitor experiences vary depending on the site and that behavioral, emotional, and sensory experiences are particularly prominent. The results demonstrate that evaluating the physical characteristics of historical sites alongside visitor experience contributes to understanding how these sites are experienced. This approach reveals how the historical and cultural values of these sites are reflected to visitors.