Vehbi Koç Vakfı

Sadberk Hanım Museum

http://www.sadberkhanimmuzesi.org.tr

The Sadberk Hanım Museum is Turkey’s first private museum. Next to its rich collection of Ottoman women’s costumes, textiles and fine art objects, the Museum also owns a significant collection of Iznik ceramics and archaeological objects. Since its foundation in 1980, the Museum’s collections of Turkish and Islamic Art and Archaeology have increased six-fold to reach a total of 18,000 objects. It adheres to international museology standards and also publishes exhibition catalogues and academic research. The Museum is especially dedicated to introducing Turkey’s cultural heritage and traditions to children and conducts a number of regular educational projects.

Aims

Representing the latest understanding in museology, the Sadberk Hanim Museum’s aim is to be a continuously developing centre for cultural and educational activity

History

     The Vehbi Koç Foundation Sadberk Hanım Museum opened on 14 October 1980. Housed in an historical building known as the Azaryan Yalısı – a waterfront mansion on the shores of the Bosphorus, the Museum is home to the private collection of Sadberk Koç, the late wife of Vehbi Koç. Sadberk Koç’s collection consists predominantly of Ottoman era women’s costumes, embroideries and other artefacts.

      The core of the Museum’s collection consists of the traditional costumes, embroideries, Ottoman imperial silverware, porcelain and other objects collected by the late Sadberk Koç since her youth. This collection has grown very significantly in size through donations and new acquisitions made over time. The Museum’s Turkish and Islamic Art Collections are housed in the Azaryan Wing.

       In 1983, the Sadberk Hanım Museum acquired the Hüseyin Kocabaş Collection that consists of archaeological objects dating from the 6th millennium BC to the Byzantine era and reflect the history of Anatolian civilizations. The Museum’s Archaeology Collection is housed in the Sevgi Gönül Wing, inaugurated in 1988.

      The Museum was awarded the “Europa Nostra” Award in 1988, and all its processes adhere to global standards in museology. Since 2001, the Museum’s management, experts and the Museum itself are members of ICOM, the International Council of Museums.