Anatolian museum gets European museum prize

STRASBOURG - Doğan News Agency

Hüsamettin Koçan (L) receives the PACE prize from Anne Brasseur.

The Council of Europe Museum Prize for 2014 has been awarded in December last year to the Baksı Museum in the eastern Black Sea province of Bayburt by the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

At a ceremony held on April 8 at the Rohan Palace in Strasbourg, the founder of the museum, Professor Hüsamettin Koçan received the prize from PACE President Anne Brasseur. The award was previously given to the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. Baksı Museum will display the bronze statuette of Joan Miro, the symbol of the award, throughout the year.

“I believe Baksı Museum, which is located in a remote part of Anatolia, will increase culture tourism in the region. Everyone in this hall is already curious about the museum. This museum is about life. We are closely interested in the contemporary. This award shows that we are up to world standards. We want to employ women and educate children in the museum,” Koçan said.

Delivering a speech at the ceremony, daily Hürriyet consultant Doğan Hızlan said Baksı Museum should be taken as a model. He said he has always closely followed the museum, adding, “I have written many articles about the museum in my column. An Anatolian museum has a different function. Its local features, local arts and geography show in the pieces in the museum. Baksı Museum is a great example for other districts and villages.”

The Council of Europe Museum Prize has been awarded annually since 1977 to museums judged to have made a significant contribution to the understanding of European cultural heritage.