Description
Aşiyan Museum is a private residence where the poet Tevfik Fikret lived between 1906 and 1915, serving as a museum since 1945.
In the museum, personal belongings of Tevfik Fikret and his family are displayed, along with items from important artists of the Tanzimat Literature and especially the Edebiyat-ı Cedide period.
The museum building, planned by Tevfik Fikret himself, was constructed as a house with a garden near Robert College, where the poet taught, and was completed in 1906. After Tevfik Fikret's passing, the building was purchased by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in 1945 and opened to the public under the name "Edebiyat-ı Cedide Museum." The poet's grave, originally located in the family cemetery in Eyüp, was moved to the museum's garden in 1961, and the museum has been named Aşiyan Museum since then.
Closed for restoration from 2010 to 2012, the museum reopened on December 14, 2012.
The museum is divided into several sections:
Salon Section: This is where Tevfik Fikret's original belongings are arranged, and there is a wax sculpture of the poet. The section displays the poet's works and family belongings.
Edebiyat-ı Cedide Section: Used as Tevfik Fikret's resting room, this section contains photographs of literary friends and their special belongings.
Abdühak Hamit Tarhan Section: Including the rooms on the north side of the house, this section showcases items donated to Istanbul Municipality by Abdülhak Hamit's wife after his death. The walls feature photographs of the poet and a painting signed by Şehzade Abdülmecid.
Study Room: Located on the upper floor of the building, this section includes Fikret's library, self-portrait, writing desk, and calligraphic inscriptions.
Bedroom: This is where Tevfik Fikret took his last breath and includes the most significant piece, a face mask taken after his death by Mihri Müşfik Hanım.
Dining Room: Contains family dinnerware and the poet's own still-life paintings.
Poet Nigar Section: Donated by Salih Keramet Nigar, the son of Poet Nigâr Hanım, this section includes belongings, a library, and an archive.
Kitchen-Laundry Room.
Garden: Contains Tevfik Fikret's grave.
Aşiyan Museum offers visitors a rich experience about the poet's life and era.
