Audio GuideRahmi M. Koç Museum

Rahmi M. Koç Museum sits beside the waters of the Golden Horn in Istanbul, blending old industrial heritage with vibrant modern energy. This museum, Turkey’s first major industrial museum, opened its doors about thirty years ago with strong support from Rahmi Koç, a leading business figure inspired by American and European industrial collections. He transformed a personal dream, sparked by a childhood love for model trains, into a living monument to the nation’s story of innovation and movement.

yoel winkler

The museum stretches across historic buildings, including the Lengerhane, a place built long ago for casting anchors and chains for Ottoman ships, and the Tersane, a former shipyard from the late nineteenth century. Time left its mark here: fires, repairs, different uses, and years of silence before Rahmi Koç bought and restored these spaces. Today, their thick stone walls and iron frameworks give a sense of both age and adventure as you wander among exhibits.

HASAN KIRMIZI

Inside awaits a world of wonders—classic cars gleaming under soft lights, historic steam engines, ancient trams, and even airplanes placed within reach. Many pieces can be touched or explored: step into the hall of automobiles, walk inside vintage planes, glimpse the mighty submarine docked at the waterfront, or peek at machines that once made olive oil or kept Istanbul’s trains running on time. One hall brims with gadgets: old telegraphs, typewriters, early telephones, and scientific tools. For families, hands-on displays and interactive corners invite all ages to push buttons, turn wheels, and see how things work.

Daria Parfenyuk

The museum’s collection continues to grow, with new arrivals restored in special workshops, sometimes coming from donations made by the public. Among the most celebrated exhibits, you will find a car matching the model used by Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, at the Gallipoli front more than one century ago, and “Kısmet,” the yacht that carried Sadun Boro, the first Turkish sailor to travel the world.

ilyas mutlu

Rahmi M. Koç Museum goes beyond static artifacts—it hosts lively events, concerts, and world-renowned exhibitions, like replicas of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions, turning history into a moving, shared experience. Its branches in Ankara and on Cunda Island reflect a wish to connect the stories of Turkey’s industrial and cultural journey to people all across the country.

Whether you are fascinated by steam, sails, electricity, or stories of bold pioneers, this museum connects the creativity of the past to the curiosity of today. Each cobbled path, echoing hall, and restored relic speaks of eras when industry, adventure, and hope were forging the roads, rails, and bridges of Turkey’s future.