Gökyay Foundation Chess Museum

The Gökyay Foundation Chess Museum is a private museum established to showcase the cultural and artistic dimensions of the game of chess. Housed in a historic building in the Hamamönü district of Ankara’s Altındağ neighborhood, it holds a collection of chess sets gathered from various regions of the world. The museum aims to illustrate the historical development of chess and its influence across different civilizations as a cultural center.

Gökyay Vakfı Satranç Müzesi (Culture Portal)

Foundation and Architecture

The museum building was constructed in a traditional style reflecting the architectural features of old Ankara homes. This historically significant structure spans an area of 1,000 square meters. The museum was founded on the vision of businessman Akın Gökyay to share his chess set collection with the public. The collection began in 1975 and entered the Guinness Book of World Records in 2012 with 412 sets. The museum opened to visitors on 13 October 2015.

How Was the Collection Formed?

The chess sets displayed in the museum were acquired by collector Akın Gökyay from six continents and over 100 countries. More than 700 chess sets are exhibited. When selecting the sets, the primary criterion was not the materials used but their ability to reflect the culture and characteristics of their region of origin. Thanks to this feature, the collection vividly demonstrates historical and cultural interactions across different geographies.

Gökyay Vakfı Satranç Müzesi (Culture Portal)

What Themes Are Exhibited?

The chess sets in the collection are organized thematically into four main categories:

• Children: Includes chess sets inspired by cartoon characters and fairy tale figures.
• Design: Features sets that are aesthetically and artistically striking, made from diverse materials and unconventional forms.
• Countries-Civilizations: Displays sets that reflect the cultural identity of regions ranging from ancient civilizations to traditional clothing and figures of specific geographic areas.
• War-Peace: Includes sets themed around historical events, wars, or political figures, illustrating how chess represents social phenomena.

Gökyay Vakfı Satranç Müzesi (Culture Portal)

What Activities Does the Museum Offer?

In addition to exhibitions, the Gökyay Foundation Chess Museum organizes educational and cultural activities. Seminars, tournaments, and workshops on chess are held for visitors of all ages within the museum. These activities aim to promote the development of analytical and multidimensional thinking through chess. Analytical thinking is the ability to break down a problem or situation into its components and analyze the relationships between them in a logical sequence.