Renovated Atlı Köşk welcomes art enthusiasts

ISTANBUL

Following an extensive nine-month restoration, the Sakıp Sabancı Museum’s Atlı Köşk reopened to visitors on Dec. 7.

With renewed presentations of its Arts of the Book and Calligraphy Collection, Painting Collection and Furniture and Decorative Arts Collection, the Atlı Köşk promises a distinctive experience with its expanded display, featuring new acquisitions.

The updated installation highlights the museum’s vision of a dynamic, living collection, bringing previously unseen pieces into the spotlight. The research conducted on the Furniture and Decorative Arts Collection also provides fresh insights into the building’s history and the context of its collections, accessible both in the physical displays and through the museum’s digital platforms.

The restoration process was undertaken with meticulous attention to every detail, from carpets and chandeliers to clocks, furniture, and manuscripts, while also incorporating measures to enhance the structure’s resilience to earthquakes.

The reopening of the Atlı Köşk is further complemented by the enriched content of the Sakıp Sabancı Museum’s digital archive platform, digitalSSM.

The number of accessible works now includes 610 in the Arts of the Book and Calligraphy Collection, 700 in the Painting Collection, and 370 in the Emirgan Archive. With the inclusion of pieces from the Archaeological Collection as well as the Furniture and Decorative Arts Collection, digitalSSM stands as an indispensable resource for art history enthusiasts.

In the galleries dedicated to the Arts of the Book and Calligraphy Collection, QR codes on selected labels allow visitors to delve into the complete pages and covers of the manuscripts — offering access to works that are only partially visible in the displays — directly on their own devices.

To celebrate the reopening of the Atlı Köşk, the Sakıp Sabancı Museum offers a 30 percent discount on standard tickets every Friday from Dec. 13 until the end of January.