Paper and Book Arts Museum displays unique artifacts

IZMIR

The Ege University Paper and Book Arts Museum in the Aegean province of İzmir, the first of its kind in Türkiye, is home to the world's smallest book, the lightest paper, and many other valuable national and international items displayed on its shelves.

"In our museum, we exhibit the world's smallest book, whose dimensions are 2.4 by 2.9 millimeters. It is so small that it can only be viewed with a magnifying glass,” said Seda Ağırbaş, the university's faculty member and director of the museum.

The Paper and Book Arts Museum, which presents the long-term journey of paper and books, indispensable fixtures of the last 2000 years of world cultural history, and examples from different cultures, also hosts many scientific and cultural events throughout the year.

“The establishment of the Ege University Paper and Book Arts Museum, which opened in 2012, is of great importance as it is the first of its kind in Türkiye and as a university museum. The museum serves in the Ballian residence of the 19th century, one of the Levantine mansions, one of the cultural and artistic assets of the Ege University. Nearly 1,000 objects are exhibited in the museum, which also includes an art gallery. Examples from various stages, from the production of paper to the point where it turns into a work of art, are exhibited in the museum," she said.

"The ground floor has a handmade paper production demo room, organic writing materials, colored papers from the world, today's colored paper artists and modern paper art sections. On the upper floor, there are book arts, ex-libris, printing house, artist books, children's books, book formats, masters in books, printing techniques, miniature books and typography sections. In our museum, we exhibit the world's smallest book, whose dimensions are 2.4 by 2.9 millimeters. It is so small that it can only be viewed with a magnifying glass. The Paper and Book Arts Museum is a museum of knowledge, a museum of contemporary arts, and a universal museum,” she added. 

Works exhibited in historical atmosphere

Ağırbaş said the best thing about the museum is that it is in a historical building and the works are exhibited in a historical atmosphere.

“The exhibition space is very important for visitors. Showcases and lighting in the exhibition of works, displaying works and objects in showcases, on walls and in open spaces requires meticulousness and effort. It is extremely important to illuminate the works and position them in a way that allows the viewer to see the works without tiring the eyes,” she added.

Stating that museums have an educational function, Ağırbaş said, “While the common purpose of almost all museums is the collection, protection, documentation and exhibition, the educational function was also added to the purposes of museums by UNESCO. Museums are known as out-of-school learning places due to their educational function. Individuals learn by experiencing, observing and even hearing in museums."

"We explain information such as the printing house and organic writing materials to visitors. We provide them the opportunity to see book forms from different civilizations. Nearly 1,000 objects and works of art are exhibited both on the walls and in the showcases of all the rooms in our museum. We also have a memoir where our visitors share their thoughts. It has become a special publication. A visitor wrote, 'They have laid the world under our feet, we did not know that' and this made us very happy,” she added.