July 15 Democracy Museum (Ankara)

15 July Democracy Museum is a comprehensive museum that presents the events of the coup attempt on 15 July 2016, the public’s resistance, and the subsequent developments through thematic sections, digital technologies, and audiovisual storytelling methods, aiming to preserve collective memory and transmit it to future generations.

Establishment and Purpose

The 15 July Democracy Museum was constructed with the aim of transmitting the events of the coup attempt on the night of 15 July 2016 and the public’s resistance against it to future generations. Located in Ankara opposite the Presidential Complex, the museum was inaugurated on 15 July 2021 by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Physical Structure and Infrastructure

The museum covers a total indoor area of 98,000 square meters and includes a 92,820 square meter landscape design. Only the elliptical dome, measuring 57 by 75 meters, which covers the “Democracy Watches” themed hall, rises above ground; the rest of the structure is built underground. The museum complex also includes temporary exhibition spaces, a children’s section, a parking facility for 809 vehicles, administrative units, and service areas.

15 July Democracy Museum (Anadolu Agency)

Thematic Halls

The museum consists of eight thematic halls:

• Coups in Türkiye and the World
• A Bullet Threat
• Being Cast into Darkness
• The Longest Night
• Those Who Left Traces
• The Avalanche
• Respect for the Martyrs
• Democracy Watches

Each section is supported by digital technologies to provide visitors with a detailed account of the events of the night of 15 July.

Digital Experience and Narrative

The first section presents coups in Türkiye and the world through written and visual materials. In a dark corridor of the museum, visitors experience a section called the “sonic line,” where sound and light effects simulate passing under a tank. The development of the coup night is narrated through video projection in the “Longest Night” hall.

15 July Democracy Museum (Anadolu Agency)

Sections Dedicated to Martyrs and the Wounded

After passing through the “Sela Corridor,” visitors reach a hall displaying biographies and photographs of 251 martyrs. In prism-shaped sections, personal details and private belongings of each martyr are exhibited. In the final hall, with a glass dome, a 23-meter-long artificial plane tree symbolizes Türkiye’s past and future. Beneath this tree, 90 silicone statues represent the democracy watches.

15 July Democracy Museum (Anadolu Agency)

Outdoor Areas and Relief Path

At the museum exit, an open-air exhibition area known as the “valley” features a 235-meter-long path beginning with Ahlat Seljuk tombstones. Along this path, Türkiye’s major investments are depicted through reliefs. At the end of the path, visitors arrive at the 15 July Martyrs Memorial.

Visitor Statistics and Events

Since its opening in 2021, the museum has welcomed over 350,000 visitors. It is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00. The museum also hosts events such as social responsibility projects, educational programs for children, commemoration days for martyrs, and theatrical performances.