Erzurum exhibition brings Türkiye’s space mission closer to children

ERZURUM

An interactive exhibition in the eastern province of Erzurum is introducing children to Türkiye’s expanding space ambitions, offering young visitors an immersive look at the country’s space technologies and recent human spaceflight missions.

The exhibition was launched under the auspices of the Presidency and the Industry and Technology Ministry and prepared in coordination with the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) and the Turkish Space Agency.

Hosted at Bilim Erzurum, the science center has been welcoming visitors for approximately one and a half months. Designed particularly for children aged 6 to 14, the exhibition enables visitors to closely examine the suits and equipment used by Türkiye’s first astronauts, Alper Gezeravcı and Tuva Cihangir Atasever, during their respective missions.

Visual panels detailing Türkiye’s advancements in space technologies, short film screenings and interactive learning modules guide children through the country’s journey into orbit.

The exhibition space, arranged in a labyrinth-style layout, leads visitors through a “space tunnel” that presents a chronological account of Türkiye’s space endeavors, from early initiatives to the launch ıf satellites and the country’s first crewed missions.

In dedicated sections, children can listen to the astronauts recount their experiences in space and learn about the scientific experiments they conducted while in orbit.

Ezurum Municipality’s head of Culture and Social Affairs, Ergün Ergin, said the initiative aims to demonstrate to younger generations that Türkiye is now an active participant in space exploration.

“We grew up watching space films and imagining that journey,” Engin said. “Today, our children can see that Türkiye has satellites in orbit and that two of our astronauts have carried out experiments and observations in space. This broadens their horizons.”

According to Engin, around 15,000 people have visited the exhibition since it opened, and it will continue for a longer period to reach more children across the country.

Young visitors say the experience has left a lasting impression. Seven-year-old Defne Esila Düzgün said her favorite part was walking through the space tunnel, while eight-year-old Hamza Yekta Sürek expressed admiration for the astronaut suits. “I want to go to space, too. If I go, I want to visit Mars and do research there,” he said.