The Atatürk Memorial Museum, located in the Bey Neighborhood where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was registered, has been visited by 620,000 people over the past 10 years, preserving Atatürk’s memories.
Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s population registration was made in the Bey Neighborhood after he accepted the honorary citizenship offer during his visit to Gaziantep on Jan. 26, 1933.
The Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality restored a historic house in the neighborhood where Atatürk was registered to commemorate him and opened the Atatürk Memorial Museum to visitors in 2014.
The museum displays various items related to Atatürk’s visit to Gaziantep, including photos taken during the visit, a copy of his identity card, the bed he used during his stay, and various other items such as his dinnerware and teacup set. The museum hosts an average of 60,000 visitors annually.
Sema Çelik, the museum manager, stated that the museum is a beloved destination for visitors.
Çelik explained that the museum was created to showcase the affection of the people of Gaziantep for Atatürk. “Some local families preserved items used by Atatürk during his visit, these items are still present today, the museum opened on May 19, 2014, through donations. The Konukoğlu family donated the mansion, and other families contributed any items they had, which are now on display in the museum,” she said.
She continued: “We have approximately 620,000 visitors, the museum is particularly visited on Nov. 10, Atatürk Memorial Day, and other special dates. We host group visits and school programs, with nearly 1,500 visitors daily during the week of Nov. 10.”
Çelik added that visitors are happy to learn that Atatürk was registered in the Bey Neighborhood.
Teacher Zekiye Islam, who visited the museum on Atatürk Memorial Day with her students, said that the students were happy with the visit. “This house holds many memories of Atatürk. We wanted to introduce this house to the students,” she said.