conducted the National War of Independence and the buildings in which he was hosted during his visits to various cities were also converted into museums.

Still another group of museums in Turkey are the “Museum Houses” and “Memorial Museums”. The “Çakırağa Mansion” in Birgi; the “Hazeranlar Mansion” in Amasya; the “Ziya Gökalp Museum House” in Diyarbakır, and the “Tevfik Fikret Aşiyan House” in İstanbul may be cited among such museums.

The preservation of buildings of historical interest in the form of museums began in the 1930s. The Dolmabahçe Palace, Hagia Sophia (St. Sophia), Kariye, Fethiye and İmrahor Mosques in İstanbul and the Yeşil Türbe (Green Tomb) and Muradiye Complex in Bursa are the most significant examples of such museums. Moreover, the ruins of many ancient cities have also been converted into open-air museums. The Boğazköy, Ephesus, Bergama (Pergamum), Aphrodisias, Aspendos, Karatepe, Göreme and Perge open-air museums are the most important ones.

Turkey also cooperates with international organizations concerned with historical heritage and curatorial. The International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Council of Museums (ICOM), which are attached to UNESCO have their Turkish national committees.

Joint vocational studies and projects are carried out with these agencies. The İstanbul Museum of Turkish and Islamic Works of Art which won the “Distinguished Museum” award of the Council of Europe in 1984 and the Sadberk Hanım Museum which received the “Europa Nostra” award in 1988, are examples of prize-winning museums in Turkey.

Furthermore, the Antalya Museum was awarded the “Museum of the Year Honourable Mention” in 1988, the İstanbul Archeological Museums won the “Council of Europe Award” in 1989, the Bodrum Underwater Archeology Museum won the “Museum of the Year Honourable Mention” in 1995, the İstanbul Rahmi Koç Museum won the “Special Museum Award” in 1996, the Ankara Museum of Anatolian Civilizations won the “Museum of the Year in Europe” award in 1997, and the Health Museum (Private Museum) affiliated to Trakya University won the “Museum of the Year in Europe” special award in 2003.

The Sakıp Sabancı Museum in İstanbul hosted between November 24, 2005 and March 26, 2006 a special Pablo Picasso Exhibition which comprised 135 works of the grand master including his drawings during his youth in Spain.