Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has met with award-winning Italian architect, critic and curator Professor Luca Molinari to discuss ambitious plans for transforming Istanbul’s historic Haydarpaşa and Sirkeci train stations into world-class cultural and arts hubs.
According to a statement from the Ministry, projects in culture and museology are gaining momentum through strategic partnerships with leading international figures in architecture and design.
During the meeting, Ersoy and Molinari — a faculty member at the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli and an honoree of the Venice Biennale — explored contemporary approaches to museology, the adaptive reuse of the two landmark stations, and how international collaboration can elevate these transformative projects.
Molinari is known for his international work in architectural criticism and curatorial practice. He is currently serving as curator for museum, exhibition and design projects at both Haydarpaşa and Sirkeci.
As part of the transformation projects aimed at revitalizing the two iconic stations as cultural and artistic centers, Molinari is also a member of the advisory board overseeing museum, exhibition and design initiatives at the sites.
Under his curatorship, projects at Haydarpaşa will explore Türkiye’s coastal and underwater archaeological heritage alongside its layered history, while those at Sirkeci will focus on migration movements in the 19th and 20th centuries, combining these narratives with contemporary museology techniques.
In line with this approach, museum and exhibition spaces are being designed at both sites to offer visitors an experience that blends historical depth with cultural continuity. The project aims to preserve the stations as part of the city’s cultural and social heritage while creating a new arts and culture hub for Istanbul.
With exhibitions that establish a strong link between past and present, visitors will be able to explore the city’s multilayered history.
Ersoy said they evaluated the contributions of international experience in architecture, museology and cultural projects to ongoing initiatives in Türkiye.
“Honored at the Venice Biennale and with more than 30 years of experience, Molinari has been carrying out curatorial work on an international scale in architecture, design and museology, bringing design culture to wider audiences through exhibitions, publications, museum work and cultural projects,” Ersoy said.
“We discussed the contributions of international experience to projects being implemented in our country, particularly those concerning museum, exhibition and design works at Haydarpaşa and Sirkeci. I thank him for his kind visit,” he added.
