| Efforts to establish museums were limited in Turkey until 1923. Following
the proclamation of the Republic, Turkish museums developed considerably,
thanks to the importance attached by Ataturk to the unearthing and
exhibition of the rich cultural heritage of Anatolia, and also to
the spread of the museums throughout the country. When the Republic
of Turkey was proclaimed, there were only the Istanbul Archaeological
Museum, called the Asar-i Atika Muzesi, the Military Museum in the
St. Irene, the Evkaf-i Islamiye Museum (Islamic) in the Suleymaniye
Complex and the branches of the Muze-i Humayun in the few large
cities of Anatolia.
The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations |
The Turk Asar-i Atikasi (The Turkish Archaeological
Museum), which was established during the first years of the
Republic, carried out studies to gather, collate, catalogue and
protect archaeological and ethnographical finds. In many provinces of Anatolia, monumental buildings such as ancient
churches, mosques and caravanserais were restored and new museums were
opened. Topkapi Palace, which was turned into a museum together with the
furniture and works of art on the premises, was opened to the public in
1927. The same year, the Evkaf-i Islamiye Muzesi was reorganized as the "Museum of Turkish and Islamic Works of Art" and the Mevlana Dergahi in Konya was also turned into a museum. The construction of the Ankara Ethnographic Museum was completed in 1930. New museums were established in Bursa, Adana, Manisa, Izmir, Kayseri, Antalya, Afyon, Bergama and Edirne. The Hittite Museum, which was established at the Mahmut |
Pasha Bedesten in Ankara in 1940, was restored and renovated and turned into "The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations", in 1968. In the following years new museums were established in almost every part of Turkey. Today, there are 99 museum directorates connected to the Ministry of Culture, 91 private museums and 1,028 private collections.
Anatolia has been settled ever since the Paleolithic age and has been a
cradle of civilizations for many years due to its geographical location,
suitable natural conditions and geopolitical structure. Thus, it was
precisely defined as the "Country of Civilizations". The collections of
museums in Turkey exhibit works of art and relics belonging to the major
civilizations of Anatolia. A great majority of these works of art were
unearthed in the archaeological excavations which started after 1935.
Besides the archaeological relics from prehistoric times and the Hittite,
Ionian, Lydian, Hellenic, Roman and Byzantine works of art, those
belonging to the Turkish-Islamic period form the second largest group of
artifacts. The museums of Turkey are mainly historical museums having
archaeological and ethnographic collections. Besides these, numerous
buildings associated with important events in Ottoman history and the War
of Independence have been restored with their original furniture. A house
identical to the house in which Ataturk was born in Salonika was built in
Ankara, where photographs and documents concerning his life and his
"firsts" are on exhibition. The buildings which Ataturk used while he led
the War of Independence, including the building in which the first Grand
National Assembly convened, and where he was hosted in several provinces,
have also been turned into museums.
Another group of museums in Turkey are "Museum Houses" and "Heritage
Museums". The Cakiraga Mansion in Birgi, Hazeranlar Mansion in Amasya, the
Ziya Gokalp Museum House in Diyarbakir and the Tevfik Fikret Asiyan House
in Istanbul are among these kinds of museums. The transformation of some
historical buildings into museums started in the 1930s. Dolmabahce Palace,
the Kariye, Fethiye and Imrahor Mosques, Hagia Sophia (St. Sophia) in
Istanbul, the Yesil Turbe (the Green Tomb) and the Muradiye Kulliyesi in
Bursa are the most important examples of these. Meanwhile, the ruins of
many ancient cities and settlements such as Bogazkoy, Ephesus, Bergama
(Pergamum), Aphrodisias, Aspendos, Karatepe, Goreme and Perge have been
organized as "open air museums". There are also many private and public
art museums and museums associated with the General Directorate of
Foundations.
Turkey cooperates with organizations such as the International Council
of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), and the International Council of Museums
(ICOM), associated with UNESCO, in activities regarding historical
heritage and museums. Joint professional studies and projects are carried
out with these institutions. Meanwhile Turkish Museums have recently won
many international prizes: the Sadberk Hanim Museum was awarded the
"European Nostra Prize", the Istanbul Museum of Turkish and Islamic Works
of Art was awarded the title of "Distinguished Museum" by the Council of
Europe and the Rahmi M. Koc Industrial Museum in Istanbul won the "Special
Museum" prize in 1996. |
