The exhibition brings together works from the IBB Atatürk Library and the municipality’s art collection, as well as pieces from private collections.
The Istanbul Bosphorus Museum, prepared by the Istanbul Municipality (IBB), has opened to visitors at the Kabataş Transfer Center, offering a new cultural space focused on the historical and cultural memory of the Bosphorus.
The museum’s opening on Sept. 12 was accompanied by the exhibition “A Bosphorus Story,” which explores the transformation of the Bosphorus through historical maps, engravings, photographs, postcards, books, periodicals and works of art.
The exhibition is curated by Ali Kayaalp and brings together works from the IBB Atatürk Library and the municipality’s art collection, as well as pieces from private collections.
The exhibition examines the Bosphorus not only as a natural landscape but also as a living space shaped by centuries of social and cultural change. It traces the area’s traditional waterfront life, including mansions, piers, recreation areas, boats and ferries, while also focusing on the impact of migration, industrialization, population growth and urbanization on the waterfront during the 20th century.
The choice of Kabataş as the museum’s location also reflects the area’s importance in Istanbul’s transportation history. The Kabatas Transfer Center connects several transportation systems and includes viewing areas overlooking the Bosphorus.
IBB Deputy Secretary-General Mahir Polat said the museum project was the result of nearly four years of work.
IBB Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan, Polat, municipal council members, representatives of political parties, neighborhood heads, artists and Istanbul residents attended the opening ceremony.
Aslan said the municipality would continue its work on culture, arts and Istanbul’s historical heritage. He also announced that visits to the Şerefiye Cistern would cost 1 Turkish lira and that a proposal would be submitted to the IBB council to set admission to IBB-run museums at 1 lira for Turkish citizens.
