Beypazarı Gas Lamp Museum showcases 1,650 unique lamps

The Gas Lamp Museum in the Beypazarı district of Ankara houses a collection of 1,650 unique gas lamps. The collection features items gathered from all seven regions of Turkey and all seven continents of the world. Many of the lamps are distinct, with some crafted from unconventional materials such as car filters, fuel tanks, and oil cans.

The museum is located in a historic building constructed through community effort between 1936 and 1939, which was originally opened with the participation of İsmet İnönü. Over the decades, the building served various purposes, including a cinema, theater, medical dispensary, and marriage hall, before being converted into a museum.

The collection began 35 years ago when collector Süreyya Özkan received a gift of 100 to 150 lamps from a retiring colleague. Through years of dedicated collecting, Özkan expanded the collection to 1,650 pieces and eventually donated the entire assembly to the Beypazarı Municipality to establish the museum.