Museum of Cartography

The Mapmaking Museum is a second-class military museum operating under the General Directorate of Mapping, which is affiliated with the Ministry of National Defense. It is located within the Central Barracks of the General Directorate of Mapping in the Cebeci district of Ankara, Türkiye. The museum is a specialized institution housing documents, maps, surveying instruments, and artistic works related to the history of mapmaking in Türkiye, and it is the only museum of its kind in the country.

The Mapmaking Museum (Anadolu Agency)

Foundation and Development

The first initiative to establish the museum was undertaken in 1928 by Colonel Abdurrahman Aygün under the name "Instrument Museum", but this effort could not be sustained due to various reasons. The museum was reopened for the second time on 2 May 1971, under the initiative of then General Director of Mapping, Lieutenant General Şükrü Olcay, within the framework of the Mapping Technical High School. Initially, it operated with a collection consisting of relief maps and various mapping instruments and materials.

In 1978, the museum was expanded with the addition of a painting gallery; in 1987, its collection was enriched with new instruments and materials; and on 2 May 1990, it was reorganized in the basement of the General Directorate of Mapping building and opened to the public. Between 1990 and 1994, the collection was expanded with new materials obtained from archives and various institutions, and in 1994, the museum was relocated to its current independent building. In 2003, a special section was established at the museum entrance in honor of Lieutenant General Mehmet Şevki Ölçer, recognized as the founder of the General Directorate of Mapping.

Museum Collections and Sections

The Mapmaking Museum consists of five main sections and houses approximately 670 maps, instruments, documents, and artistic works.

Lieutenant General Mehmet Şevki Ölçer Section

This section displays personal belongings of Lieutenant General Mehmet Şevki Ölçer, regarded as the pioneer of modern Turkish mapmaking. The collection includes military academy diplomas, his chair and desk, the surveying instruments he used, a family album, the official certificate of the Knight’s Order he received from France, and telegrams from Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and Fevzi Çakmak.

The Mapmaking Museum (Anadolu Agency)

Historical Relief Maps Section

This section contains relief maps handmade by instructors and students of the War College’s mapping class between 1880 and 1895. Made from materials such as sea sand, resin, and wood, these maps depict various regions of the Ottoman Empire and are recognized as early examples in the history of global cartography.

Historical Paper Maps Section

This section displays maps produced from the 19th century onward in various scales and for different purposes. The 1896 Eskişehir Map at a scale of 1:10,000 stands out as the first example of modern Turkish cartography. Additionally, the 1:100,000 scale Sakarya Map, prepared in just 20 days during the War of Independence in 1921, is one of the most significant items in the collection. The general map of the Ottoman State and the 1924 Ankara city plan are also housed here.

The Mapmaking Museum (Anadolu Agency)

Instruments Section

This section exhibits a wide range of geodetic, photogrammetric, and cartographic measuring instruments used from 1885 to the present. Notable items include an 114-piece compass and watercolor set belonging to Yusuf İzzettin Efendi, and a photogrammetric device acquired from Germany before the Second World War, now regarded as the only surviving example of its kind.

Painting Gallery Section

The gallery features 22 paintings created during the “National Tours” program, initiated under the guidance of Atatürk between 1938 and 1943, depicting scenes across Anatolia. These works by artists such as Abidin Dino, Eşref Üren, Mahmut Cuda, and Ayetullah Sümer serve as visual documentation of the social and geographical conditions of the period.

The Mapmaking Museum (Anadolu Agency)

Visit Conditions

The Mapmaking Museum is open daily from 09:30 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 17:00 on weekdays. The museum is closed on official and religious holidays. Individual visits do not require an appointment, but group visits must be scheduled in advance via email or official correspondence.