Military Academy Museum and Cultural Site Command
The Military Academy Museum and Cultural Site Command, located in Istanbul , is affiliated to the General Staff Military History and Strategic Studies Department. The establishment of the Military Museum, which is one of the leading museums in the world in terms of the richness and variety of its collections, dates back to the 15th century. After the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, the Hagia Eirene Church was organized as a "Cebehane" where valuable war weapons, tools and equipment were collected. In 1726, all the materials in Cebehane were arranged and a new establishment was established under the name of "Dar-ül Esliha". The foundation of museology in the modern sense was laid in 1846 with the efforts of Tophane Müşiri (marshal) Damat Ahmet Fethi Pasha, and this date was the first establishment of Turkish Museology and Military Museum in real terms.
After Ahmet Fethi Pasha, these collections in Hagia Eirene were named as "Museum-i Hümayun" for the first time after a short while. After the establishment of the museum organization, especially with the increase in the number of archaeological artifacts, these artifacts were moved to the Tiled Kiosk and the foundation of today's Istanbul Archeology Museums was laid. Ahmet Muhtar Pasha enriched his weapon collections with advertisements and official correspondence. With its library, cinema, shooting range, publications, dressing room and mehter, a museum has been established in accordance with today's contemporary museology. Continuing its activities in Hagia Irene until 1940, the Military Museum took a break from its activities for a while with the thought that the Second World War might spread to Turkey. After the danger of war was over, the artifacts stored in the Maçka Armory in 1949 began to be exhibited again in the Harbiye Mektebi Gymnasium building in 1959. As this building became insufficient for the Military Museum collections over time and did not allow to take steps towards modern development, it was decided to use the old Harbiye building, which has been restored since 1966, as a Military Museum and opened to visitors on 10 February 1993 with a new arrangement.
