KARTEPE – On May 9, 2026, the Special Circassian Museum of Kartepe Municipality (Kartepe
Belediyesi Özel Çerkes Müzesi ) officially opened in the Uzuntarla neighborhood of Kartepe, Kocaeli.
While there are handful of privately-operated Circassian museums across the country, this, it is
believed, is the first official state- or municipality-recognized and sponsored Circassian museum in
the history of the Republic of Turkey.

For us the Center for Circassian Studies, this is not some news of distant lands in that it is a local,
historic, and deeply significant development: a formal cultural institution dedicated to Adyghe
(Circassian) heritage has opened within walking distance of our own registered address of our
research center in Uzuntarla, Kartepe, which is the entry point of an area which might be called
“Little Caucasus” as the three consecutive towns in this area, namely Kocaeli, Sakarya and Duzce,
host hundreds of villages set up by Circassian, Abkhazian, Laz, Georgian and Turkish people of the
Eastern Black Sea cost.

A Museum Born from Community and Municipality Partnership
The museum is the result of a years-long collaboration between the Uzuntarla Adige Kültür
Derneği (Uzuntarla Adyghe Culture Association) and the Kartepe Belediyesi (Kartepe Municipality).
It is located in Uzuntarla Mahallesi, known by locals also as Hacemko Hable – a neighbourhood
originally established as a Circassian village, in the late 1860s.
The opening ceremony combined historical memory, and cultural celebration:

•  A commemorative walk marked the upcoming 162nd anniversary of the 1864 Circassian exile.
•  Adil Bozkurt recited prayers in the Circassian language.
•  Performances were given by the Amra Halk Dansları Grubu (Circassian folk dances), as well as the Apşa ve Nartlar groups, who performed traditional ağıt (laments) recalling the suffering of the exile.
• After speeches and a plaque ceremony, Prof. Dr. Fethi Güngör led a final prayer, followed by the ribbon-cutting.

What the Museum Holds

• Circassian kitchen and daily life objects
• Traditional clothing and textiles
• Documents and materials related to the 1864 exile and diaspora settlement
• Artifacts illustrating Adyghe Xabze (customary law) and social life

Crucially, the museum is actively accepting artifact donations from both the local other
communities across the country. Items may be evaluated for historical artifact status by experts. This
makes the museum a living, growing archive – not a static display.

Official Statements
Mustafa Kocaman, Mayor of Kartepe, emphasized the museum’s symbolic value:
“Kartepe is a mosaic. Today, we are crowning one of the most valuable pieces of this mosaic:
Circassian culture. This museum is not just a building; it is a memory center. Future generations will
know their roots here.”
He specifically thanked Sedat Yenişen (Yebjin), President of the Uzuntarla Adyghe Culture
Association.
Sedat Yenişen called on the entire Circassian community:
“This museum belongs to all of us. It is proof that we exist and will continue to exist. […] Donate the
materials and objects of Circassian culture you have to this museum to pass them on to future
generations.”
The CCS was represented in the opening ceremony by our chairman Dr Murat Topçu – Papşu.

Visiting and Research Access
Museum Name: Kartepe Belediyesi Özel Çerkes Müzesi
Location: Uzuntarla Mahallesi, Kartepe, Kocaeli, Turkey
Location on Google Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fF6kSP3y5fXD98GA6
Opening Hours: Every day except Monday, 10:00–19:00
Donations: Accepted with formal documentation

Researchers and community members are encouraged to visit the museum. Scholars interested in
the exhibitions in display and the work of the museum can also contact our center at
info@circassianstudies.org or visit circassianstudies.org for further information.

For more on the opening ceremony in the print and social media:

https://www.instagram.com/reels/DTDPrBfjQBJ/
https://www.kocaelilife.com/turkiyede-bir-ilk-ozel-cerkes-muzesi/
https://www.ozgunkocaeli.com.tr/turkiyenin-ilk-resmi-cerkes-muzesi-kartepede-aciliyor
https://jinepsgazetesi.com/2026/05/turkiyenin-ilk-resmi-cerkes-muzesi/
https://bianet.org/haber/162-yillik-hafiza-turkiyenin-ilk-cerkes-muzesi-uzuntarla-da-acildi-319487

Images used in this report are copyrighted by www.ozgunkocaeli.com.tr ,www.kocaelilife.com, and
www.bianet.org.