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Turkish poet and author Mr. Sunay Akin has
opened the first and the only private toy museum
of Turkey on
23.April.2005. This opening date was not chosen
randomly. April 23rd is an important day in the
history of the Turkish Republic. It was on this
day that the Grand National Assembly first met
in 1923. It is also when the country
simultaneously celebrates National Sovereignty
and Children’s Day.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the
Turkish Republic, dedicated this important date
to the children of the world.
Akin first visited a museum when he was six
years old. They had just come to
Istanbul from
Trabzon, their hometown, for a month-long summer
holiday. On the first day his father took him to
the archelogical museum. After returning home
from the summer vacation, Akin realised that he
developed a new game that he called the “museum
game”. Unfortunately his museum game was
short-lived , because his friends did not share
his enthusiasm.
Sunay Akin had noticed a toy museum in
Nürnberg-Germany in 1990 and laid the
foundations of the
Istanbul Toy Museum with a toy horse he
purchased from an antique shop in Germany. He
expanded his collection for over 15 years and
has collected 7000 antique toys. Meanwhile he
has made serious efforts to convert the
historical villa, belonging to his family, into
a cozy museum. 4000 toys are on display in this
four-floor museum located in Göztepe,
Istanbul. The oldest
is a miniature violin manufactured in France in
the year 1817. A doll made in the United States
in the 1820’s, a set of marbles also from United
States dating back to the 1860’s, tin toys from
Germany, plus porcelain dolls are amongst other
items of the extensive collection.
Located in the garden of the Sultan
Eyup Mosque,
the famous Eyüp Toy Shop was one of the city’s
favorites until the 1950's. Today, it is
displayed on the ground floor of the museum.
Sunay Akin has successfully managed to carry our
historical values of the past to the present
day.
The 9 daughters of Zeus who lived on Mount
Helicon were called the “Muses”. They were also
referred to as the “Fairies of Inspiration.” The
source of the word ‘museum’ is ‘muses.’ In other
words, a museum is an inspiration fairy. The
income Sunay Akin earns from his books, stage
performances and TV/radio programs has been the
main financial resource for
Turkey’s first toy
museum. In a speech he made, Akin pointed out
that he is grateful to his readers who are
attracted to the inspiration fairies. He also
stated that he spent his earnings on antique
toys and finally built a house for the
inspiration fairies.
The interior décor and displays were arranged by
stage designer Mr. Ayhan Dogan. Each room
resembles a different theater stage. For
instance, when you enter the gallery of space
toys, you encounter shining stars overhead,
whereas miniature train sets are exhibited in a
genuine train compartment. You have to pass
through a submarine in order to reach the
toilets on the basement. Visitors can relax in
the the cafe where antique dolls, dollhouses and
miniature furnitures are displayed on the walls.
The museum also features a theater that has 70
seats and a gift shop where Sunay Akin's books
and museum souvenirs are sold.
Every community is enlightened by passing
through its own museums. Museums are the first
steps of the cultural development. Akin’s Toy
Museum is a gift towards the path of
enlightenment.
The museum is closed on Mondays. |
