THE ZIRAAT BANK MUSEUM WAS OPENED IN 1981 WITH THE AIM OF CARRYING THE BANK’S ACCUMULATION AND EXPERIENCE TO THE FUTURE.
TURKEY’S FIRST BANKING MUSEUM, WHICH SHOWCASES OUR LONG-ESTABLISHED PAST
The Ziraat Bank Museum is the first banking Museum in Turkey, exhibiting the long history of Ziraat Bank, which has witnessed almost every stage of the Republic.
The Ziraat Bank Museum was opened in 1981 in the Honor Hall on the ground floor of the Ziraat Bank General Directorate Building. The building was built in 1929 by the Italian architect, Giulio Mongeri, in the Ulus district of Ankara, and is one of the structures of the First National Architectural Period. The museum aims to carry the Bank’s accumulation and experience to the future.
The Ziraat Bank Museum demonstrates the commercial, economic, political, cultural, artistic and educational changes of the Turkish banking system from its beginnings up to the present day, as well as the progress made over the years from the past to present, and it exhibits several antique objects which represent these features, and which were once used in the banking system, in a historic setting.
After the completion of the restoration work of the historical building, which started in 2017, the Ziraat Bank Museum was expanded with the inclusion of the basement on the ground floor and enriched with digital elements in line with the approach of being a modern museum, and the renewed museum opened its doors to visitors again in November 2019.
ENRICHED WITH DIGITAL ELEMENTS IN LINE WITH THE APPROACH OF BEING A MODERN MUSEUM, THE RENEWED MUSEUM OPENED ITS DOORS TO VISITORS AGAIN IN NOVEMBER 2019.
The ground floor is built with a concept that sets out the bank’s chronology, with the traditional structure supported by digital applications intact. Among the precious articles displayed are our original “Homeland Fund” set up in 1863, the letters of Mithat Paşa explaining the necessity of the establishment of Homeland Fund to Dersaadet, the first journal written in 1889 and ledgers dating back many years, distribution and sales records, seals, law books, savings and deposits account pass book samples, typewriters, tax books and one of the most special works of our collection, the “Harman” (1928) painting by Ibrahim Çallı, which was specially commissioned for our General Directorate building.
The basement level layout is arranged in chronological order, like the Hall of Honor. In the Section of Heritage Inherited from the Ottoman Empire and Ziraat Bank in the Republic, there is a map illustrating the spread of Ziraat Bank, which was founded in the town of Pirot in 1863, and which shows how the Bank continues to develop its activities in Turkey and around the world. This interactive map allows visitors to see the development and growth of our bank from the past to the present.
THE CORPORATE IDENTITY SECTION SHOWCASES THE STORY OF THE VIRGO EMBLEM IN A NARRATIVE BY AYHAN AKALP, WHO DESIGNED IT.
The Corporate Identity Section showcases the story of the Virgo emblem which we still use today, consisting of the ZB letters, which was chosen first in the competition organized by our Bank in 1961, in a narrative by Ayhan Akalp, who designed the emblem.
The Main Vault Room and the vault doors were made by the world-famous French company Fichet during the construction of the building. Due to the sheer weight of the vault doors and steel vaults, the vault rooms were built with the basement of the building, and the other floors were completed afterwards.
In the Digital Showcase Section, where the harmony between technology and history is exhibited in the most striking form, we play a game of saving money with our visitors through a digital screen and take them on a nostalgic journey through Ankara.
Our bank is home to one of Turkey’s most important art collections. The Ziraat Bank Collection, which covers all branches of the Fine Arts and contains works from the changing art movements that have evolved and developed since its foundation, also has a documentary feature. We also present Art Collection of Ziraat Bank, which has been enriched since 1926, to art lovers on a digital screen.
The Radio Room, where radio programs broadcasted under the sponsorship of our Bank in the 1960s and 1970s can be heard, is one of the most impressive areas of our museum. This room is arranged with items used in our bank in previous years. In the Radio Room, we carry the past to the present day with programs such as the Zeki Müren Special Program, The Sound of This Land, Hand in Hand with Our Farmers, Joy and Music with Orhan Boran, A Skit Every Week and Selections from World Tales.
We have created a small cinema in another room where Events of the Month films can be watched. Events of the Month include the news presented to the audience before the film screenings in all cinemas throughout the country by compiling the important events of the relevant month under the sponsorship of our Bank, starting from 1967 and continuing until 1989.
A section of the Corporate Communication and Architecture room introduces Guilio Mongeri, the architect of the Eskişehir, Adana, Aydın, Kütahya and Manisa branch buildings, as well as our Historical Building, is introduced in a section of the museum. Another section offers visitors the chance to watch all of our TV commercials which have been broadcast, from past to present. In addition, our visitors have the opportunity to review “posters”, “newspaper advertisements” and the “Ziraat Post” in this room. The Ziraat Post was printed by the Bank from 1964 until 1981, and is the first newspaper to be distributed free of charge to villages, containing useful information in the fields of agriculture, banking and cooperatives.
In the Children’s Event Area, we explain the historical development of both money and the bank with animated films, while reinforcing this narrative with mechanical games.
Our visitors are presented with a feast for the eyes with the digital mapping applied on the model of Ziraat Towers which are under construction in the Istanbul Financial Center.
In the Safe Deposit Boxes Section, historical documents and items belonging to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk were stored in safes No. 1 and No. 2 immediately after his death. The items were kept in the safes of the Central Branch of our Bank and then handed over to the General Staff in 1964 in accordance with a decision taken by the Council of Ministers. In addition, some items belonging to Adnan Menderes which had been removed from the suitcase of the Ercüment Yavuzalp, who was the Principal Clerk of the late Prime Minister, Adnan Menderes, and which had been delivered to our Bank in 1960 to be kept in the Central Branch safe, are also displayed in our Safe Boxes section.
The Ziraat Bank Museum is open to visitors between 10 am and 5 pm every day of the week except for official and religious holidays, and Mondays.
Entrance to the museum is free. Reservations are required for school and group visits.
