Turkpusat Traditional War Centers Museum

Türkpusat Traditional War Equipment Museum is a thematic specialized museum dedicated to introducing the traditional war equipment (pusatlar) used by the Turks throughout history, preserving this cultural heritage, and transmitting it to future generations.

While embracing contemporary museum practices, the museum offers visitors the opportunity to interact with historical artifacts, experience workshop activities, and engage in hands-on learning through its “touchable museum” principle. Beyond viewing collections related to Turkish military and sporting history, visitors can actively participate in the production processes of items such as arrows, bows, and quivers during workshops.

Türkpusat Traditional War Equipment Museum (Turkish Museums)

History and Establishment

The museum was established on 15 June 2019 in the Altındağ district of Ankara. Its founder is Muhiddin Uyanık, officially recognized as a master of traditional Turkish archery and a cultural heritage bearer. The museum was founded to promote traditional Turkish martial arts and crafts. Muhiddin Uyanık is also the founder of Türkpusat, the first private traditional archery shop and training center opened in Turkey after the Republican era. The initiative to transform Türkpusat into a museum began with the aim of revealing the philosophical and historical depth of Turkish archery alongside its artisanal dimensions; the Türkpusat Traditional War Equipment Museum officially opened in 2019 within this framework.

Museum Collection and Exhibition Content

The museum displays various war equipment and their manufacturing processes from different historical periods, with traditional Turkish archery as the central focus. Key artifacts in the collection include:

• Arrowheads (452 pieces),
• Quivers (18 pieces),
• Spearheads (10 pieces),
• Swords: Types such as yatağan, koltukaltı sallama, şimşir, and gaddare,
• Other weapons: Dagger, axe, teber, topuz, gürz, shield, and breastplate,
• Armor, helmets, and military attire (kaftan, börk),
• Ethnographic objects: Sadak, tirkeş, ağız kopuzu, puta.

Arrowheads (Türkpusat Museum Website)

Swords (Türkpusat Museum Website)

Armor, Shield, Helmet (Türkpusat Museum Website)

Among the standout pieces is a sword from the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II, made from Damascus steel. The museum’s collection is unique, particularly due to the diversity and chronological breadth of its arrowhead collection. Its artifacts span from the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods to the Ottoman era, making it archaeologically and culturally significant.

Military Equipment and Gear (Türkpusat Museum Website)

Education and Activities

Beyond being a mere exhibition space, the museum functions as an active center for pedagogical and cultural programs based on experiential learning. Services offered include:

• 45-minute comprehensive guided presentations led by experts,
• Beginner-level training in traditional archery,
• Workshops on the production of bows, arrows, quivers, armor, and tirkeş,
• Seminars, conferences, and cultural tours,
• Traditional music performances and archery demonstrations.

Within the museum premises, the Kemankeşan Kahvesi enhances the cultural experience by offering traditional beverages such as şerbet and kımız alongside third-wave coffee options.

Türkpusat Workshop (Türkpusat Museum Website)

Museum Approach

The Türkpusat Museum embraces contemporary museum practices and promotes an interactive, pedagogical, and interdisciplinary approach to exhibition design in line with universal museum principles. Under the “touchable museum” philosophy, both original and replica artifacts are made accessible for direct visitor engagement.

The museum emphasizes that the art of warfare is not merely instrumental but constitutes a holistic system intertwined with philosophy, aesthetics, literature, and craftsmanship.

Access and Visit Information

The museum is located in the historic Kale Mahallesi neighborhood of Ankara, immediately next to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. Opening hours and contact details are as follows:

Address: Kale Mahallesi, Gözcü Sokak No: 9, Altındağ / ANKARA

Phone: +90 312 311 12 35

Website: www.turkpusat.com.tr

Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 09.00 – 18.00

Closed: Monday