Journey to the History of Science at ITU

As Istanbul Technical University celebrates its 250th anniversary, it unearthed its two and a half centuries of experience, the firsts of Turkish engineering history and the unique treasures of science.

The opening of ITU Museum, where Istanbul Technical University exhibits its two and a half centuries of experience, took place on 20 June 2023 at Ayazağa Campus. At the opening ceremony which attracted great interest from the press, our Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu, our graduate and former academic and former Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs, Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroğlu, Istanbul Deputy Gökan Zeybek and Gaziosmanpaşa Mayor Hasan Tahsin Usta made speeches.

In his opening speech, Prof. Dr. İsmail Koyuncu said, “ITU Museum will take us on a journey of 250 years… Throughout this 250-year journey, we will see that the bright minded scientists who grew up in this land and came together at the Technical University are bees that contribute to humanity and influence, guide and inspire the next generations. I hope that in this way we will witness ITU’s adventure of being born in this geography and serving all of humanity.”

ITU’s and Türkiye’s scientific adventure

The museum, which tells the 250-year scientific and technical journey of ITU, includes many details that will attract the interest of the enthusiasts: Personal belongings and adventure of Mustafa İnan, who helped transform ITU from “school of higher engineering” to a “university”, our country’s first domestic diesel motor produced under the leadership of Necmettin Erbakan, journeys of our Presidents Süleyman Demirel and Turgut Özal, who are ITU graduates, the stories of our first women engineers, scientific studies of Prof. Dr. İhsan Ketin, who carried out unique studies in the field of geosciences, and the ITU TV collection, which enabled the first TV broadcast in Türkiye, attracted great interest from the visitors.  

800-year-old astrolabe comes to light for the first time

Another important object that attracts attention at the ITU Museum is a very valuable astrolabe, which was produced in the early 13^th century and is brought to light for the first time. This 800-year-old astrolabe, which was made in 1216 by the famous Andalusian master Muhammed Fettûh el-Hamâirî and donated by Sultan Selim III to Mühendishane, namely ITU, at the time it was established, is waiting for the visitors at the museum.

ITU Museum will be open to visitors between 9:00 am -05:30 pm at ITU Rectorate Building.