Abstract
Scientific patrimony, whether actively employed for research or conserved as historical heritage, is a cultural resource for education, recreation, and tourism, and plays a decisive role in shaping urban identity. Nevertheless, a significant gap often exists between public expectations regarding the accessibility, functionality, and presentation of these cultural assets and their actual condition, thereby limiting their contribution to community engagement and urban development. In response to this challenge, this paper uses a software-based framework that leverages online search metrics to assess public interest in the cultural objectives of the Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy (AIRA). Specifically, the framework evaluates the extent AIRA’s diverse assets in Bucharest - including historical buildings and scientific facilities - are searched online by users and additionally, if they are perceived as integral components of a broader cultural brand when considered in conjunction with the adjacent Carol I Park. The study covers the period 2021-2023 and employs rigorous keyword analysis, Boolean logic, and digital tools such as GetKeywords software platform, in order to capture detailed monthly search dynamics, as well as to process and model the resulting data. The application of this method yield insights into how digital interest aligns with, or diverges from, actual public engagement, thereby revealing specific or latent cultural demand. The results of this analysis are expected to inform strategic recommendations for better integrating AIRA’s heritage with the urban landscape, ultimately promoting sustainable cultural development and enhanced accessibility. This approach not only offers a replicable model for assessing digital interest in heritage assets but also bridges the gap between virtual attention and physical visitation, providing a solution for an effective cultural heritage management based on objective data.