Istanbul Toy Museum

The Toy Museum – which was established in a historical pavilion belonging to the family of Sunay Akın, one of Turkey’s most famous writers – awaits you in the neighborhood of Göztepe. The collection in the Toy Museum contains a total of four thousand toys, chosen with care from items gathered from all corners of the world and from many different historical eras. It will delight visitors of all ages.

The first thing that you will encounter on this journey through the world of toys is the toy shop itself. Here, in the museum gift shop, you will have the opportunity to buy an Eyüp toy, which is a symbol of traditional Turkish toy-making.

About the Toy Museum

On April 23, 2005, Turkish poet Sunay Akin inaugurated Turkey's first and only private toy museum. This opening day wasn't selected at random. The 23rd of April is a significant day in the Turkish Republic's history. In 1923, the Grand National Assembly convened for the first time on this day. The nation also observes National Sovereignty Day and Children's Day at the same time during this period. The founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, gave the children of the globe a special day on which to celebrate.

With a toy horse he bought from an antique store in Germany, Sunay Akin founded the Istanbul Toy Museum in 1990 after becoming aware of a toy museum in Nürnberg, Germany. He has added to his collection for more than 15 years and now owns 7000 old toys. He has been working hard in the meanwhile to turn his family's historic villa into a welcoming museum. The exhibits in this four-story museum in Göztepe, Istanbul, total 4,000 toys. The oldest is a toy violin that was made in France in 1817. The comprehensive collection also includes porcelain dolls, a doll manufactured in the United States in the 1820s, a set of marbles made in the United States in the 1860s, German tin toys, and marble sets.

An experienced stage designer set up the displays and interior decor. Different theater stages may be seen in each room. For instance, miniature railway sets are shown in a real train compartment, yet when you approach a gallery of space toys, you are met by above stars.

Surprises of Istanbul Toy Museum

Unlike the serious surroundings that you might have experienced in other museums, the atmosphere of the Istanbul Toy Museum is cute and playful. For instance, when you enter the section containing outer-space toys, stars will twinkle above your head. The train toys are displayed in an actual train car. And in the museum’s basement, a pleasant surprise awaits those who are curious about the inside of a submarine!

The Oldest Toy!

The oldest toy in the museum’s collection is a violin, made in France in 1817. Other antique toys include a baby doll made in the USA in 1820, marbles produced in the USA. in the 1860s, and hundred-year-old tin toys and porcelain babies produced in Germany.

Activities in the Istanbul Toy Museum 

The Istanbul Toy Museum continues to remain vibrant and, in addition to housing a sizable collection of toys, seeks to strengthen the bonds between its patrons by offering training and activity programs and by allowing access to an infinite world of fantasy. These toy-inspired activities provide our visitors the chance to interact with many artistic disciplines. Through the toy stories, visitors gain knowledge of world history and create a bridge between the present and the future.

From babies to adults, a wide range of ages finds the activities appealing. Workshops, classic and contemporary puppet theatre, magic performances by professional illusionists, documentary films, occupational workshops, movie theaters, and acting workshops are among the kid-friendly activities. Theater performances, creativity workshops, photography workshops, read-a-book days, movie reading classes, and art seminars are some of the activities available to adults. In the museum, staff also intend to carry out activities in which family members can take part collectively or individually.