Dolls reflect culture of countries at Cappadocia museum

NEVŞEHİR

A 175-year-old mansion, which has been restored and converted into a museum in the Central Anatolian province of Nevşehir’s Ürgüp district, displays 3,200 folkloric dolls reflecting the cultures of 80 countries.

Sibel Radiye Gül, who bought the old mansion in 2001 in Mustafapaşa village and transformed it into the “Cappadocia Art and History Museum” after a six-year restoration work, started to exhibit handmade dolls in folkloric clothes she made.

The museum, which has been enriched with gift dolls that she found during visits to various countries over time and with the ones sent by tourists visiting this place, serves as a private museum.

Dozens of different thematic subjects are told with handmade dolls under various themes such as “Exit Ergenekon,” “Ottoman sultans,” “The War of Independence,” “Ottoman police and soldiers,” as well as compositions bearing the cultural traces of 80 different countries, meet the enthusiasts in the museum.

Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, the founder of the museum, Gül said the museum in the historical building draws visitors from all over the world.

“When we planned to establish a museum, we wanted it to be in such a building. We bought many of the dolls from the countries we visited, but most of them came from those who visited the museum. They send us dolls with the culture and characteristics of their country to be exhibited here. There was a note on the last doll that read, ‘We have added another member to your family.’ There are also dolls that we have not yet exhibited. There are dolls that reflect all the traditions, clothes, historical events of the world.”

The guide of the museum, Serkan Paydak, explained that the dolls in the museum were made using a vegetable paste obtained from the milk of a grass species, which has a lifespan of 150 years, and that this situation makes the museum stand out among other museums.

“This is one of the most visited private museums in Turkey,” he added.