Mersin Sea Museum

Mersin Sea Museum is a museum opened to the public in Mersin on 14 June 2011 with the aim of reflecting naval history and the social, historical, and technical development of the Command of the Turkish Naval Forces. Located in the Gazi Quarter along Adnan Menderes Boulevard on a place area of museum, it was constructed in three blocks under the Command of the Turkish Naval Forces. As Türkiye's fourth maritime museum, it was established after the Istanbul Sea Museum (1897), Çanakkale Sea Museum (1982), and İskenderun Sea Museum (2009). Inspired by the vision of the Great Leader Atatürk that \"Seafaring is the great aspiration of the Turk,\" the museum aims to transmit Turkish maritime history to future generations, foster a love for seafaring, and establish communication with civil society, especially children.

Mersin Sea Museum (Culture Portal)

Building and Exhibition Areas

The Mersin Sea Museum consists of four exhibition areas: a 450-square-meter Barbaros Main Exhibition Hall, the Ertuğrul Hall, Fossil Hall, and a temporary exhibition hall. In addition, there are open and indoor exhibition areas as well as painting and ship model workshops. The museum serves visitors and researchers with a collection of over 500 object and an 800-volume library. It is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00 except on Mondays and Tuesdays; however, the Museum Card is not valid.

Mersin Sea Museum (turkishmuseums)

Barbaros Main Exhibition Hall

The main exhibition hall, named after the Turkish seafarer Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha, presents Turkish naval history chronologically. Models of oared, sail-powered, and armored vessels, district, emblem, military uniforms, cutting and piercing weapons, firearms, and oil paintings are displayed. Notable exhibits in the hall include:

• Seventeen links of the chain used by the Roman Empire during the conquest of Istanbul in the Golden Horn,
• A tombak armor belonging to Mamluk Sultan Kayıtbay, taken as spoils of war during the 1516 Egyptian campaign of Yavuz Sultan Selim,
• A sixteenth-century loss-stamped at breastplate,
• German and Ottoman medals,
• Pistols belonging to Mersin-based Kuvva-i Milliye volunteers.

Additionally, the hall features reconstructions of a sixteenth-century galleon and war and bridge vessels for visitors.

Mersin Sea Museum (turkishmuseums)

Interactive Hall

The Interactive Hall provides multimedia information about significant vessels in Turkish naval history. These include the Efsane Mahmudiye, Kahraman Hamidiye, Preveze, Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa, Nusret Mine Ship, Gazi Alemdar, and Yavuz Battle Cruisers. This section offers visitors an interactive experience experience centered on pivotal historical events and heroic narratives.

Outdoor Exhibition Area

The outdoor exhibition area displays objects used by the Turkish Naval Forces, including Top, Asroc Lancer, radar, torpedoes, Mine, water bombs, like equipment, a submarine model, and the lifeboat of the Welfare Ship.

Ertuğrul Hall

The Ertuğrul Hall is dedicated to the frigate Ertuğrul, which sank in a storm in 1890 while returning from a visit to Japan. Artifacts recovered during underwater excavations under the \"Ertuğrul Project\" are exhibited here. The hall's most valuable items include ship fragments, glass belongings, Japanese porcelain, personal effects of the crew, and wax statues of the commanders.

Fossil Hall

This hall, themed \"Fossils from the Geological Seas,\" displays 312 fossil specimens averaging 400 million years old, of which 123 belong to marine species. The most striking exhibit is a set of rib bones from the sea scorpion, a rare find worldwide. Fossils are presented to visitors with supporting collector posters and projection displays.

Temporary Exhibition Hall and Workshops

The temporary exhibition hall, located in Block B of the museum, hosts rotating exhibitions on specific periods. To support local culture and art activities, painting and ship model workshops have been established. Experienced staff conduct courses in these workshops. The Ertuğrul Art Gallery, meanwhile, hosts paid exhibitions of paintings, photograph, and statue.

Collections

The museum's collections span a wide range:

• Painting Collection: Oil, watercolor, and land pen paintings of naval vessels, naval battles, portraits, and city panoramas, along with engravings.
• Ship Model Collection: Models of Ottoman navy vessels from the Oar and sail eras, machine-age and modern era ship models.
• Weapon Collection: Cutting and piercing weapons, defensive weapons, and firearms.
• Other Objects: Badges and name plaques, navigation instruments, uniform, objects from the Cyprus Peace Operation, amphorae, diver sets, and ship engine models.

In the museum corridors, busts of prominent Turkish seafarers and Turkish naval uniforms from past to present are displayed.

Mission and Vision

The mission of the Mersin Sea Museum is to collect objects, artworks, documents, photographs, and records related to Turkish maritime history and the history of the province of Mersin, to reveal their historical significance, and to exhibit them according to contemporary museological principles. Its vision is to promote, popularize, and foster appreciation for seafaring, transmit maritime culture to future generations, and enrich its collection to become a model museum.

The Mersin Sea Museum continues to preserve Turkish maritime heritage through its rich content and interactive exhibition approach.