‘The Toys of Sports’ exhibition is at the Istanbul Toy Museum.

The “Toys of Sports” exhibition, brought to life with the support of Trendyol and curated by poet and writer Sunay Akın and Aslı Nuhoğlu, combines the excitement of the Olympics with the special atmosphere of toys. The exhibition, which can be visited at the Istanbul Toy Museum from July 19 to August 19, showcases a wide range of toys related to various sports from past to present.

By taking its support for sports and athletes to a different level at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, Trendyol, the Turkish partner of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has joined forces with the Istanbul Toy Museum to introduce new generations to the Olympic spirit.

The “Toys of Sports” exhibition, organized with the support of Trendyol and curated by poet and writer Sunay Akın and Aslı Nuhoğlu, will welcome visitors at the Istanbul Toy Museum from July 19 to August 19.

Akın: “The Olympic Games are the name of the sensitivity to say, ‘This is our world,’ regardless of language, religion, or race.”
Sunay Akın, the founder of the Istanbul Toy Museum, evaluated the exhibition and their collaboration with Trendyol with the following words: “While visiting the London Zoo, we came across a sandbox. Ilgın and Ozan ran towards the sandbox without asking us and blended in with the playing children. As minutes passed, I saw children from different countries of the world joyfully playing together, while we adults sitting on benches around the sandbox watched them without talking to each other. The sandbox, which was circular, revealed the power of play that unites humanity, regardless of language, religion, or race. The Olympic Games, where the whole world gathers under the five-ring flag, also draws its beauty from that unique power of play culture that removes the borders on maps. The Olympic Games are the name of the sensitivity to say, ‘This is our world,’ regardless of language, religion, or race. In the “Toys of Sports” exhibition, we present this sensitivity to our visitors with the contributions of Trendyol.”

Poyraz: “We want to raise Olympic awareness and support instilling a love for sports in young children.”
Irem Poyraz, the Corporate Communication Director of Trendyol Group, said the following about Trendyol’s support for the Olympics and the exhibition: “We have made history as the first official ‘E-Commerce Services Partner’ in the 130-year history of the International Olympic Committee. Additionally, we have been the official sponsor of the Turkish National Olympic Committee (TMOK) since 2021. While representing our country in the world’s largest sports organizations, we continue to contribute to the development of Turkish sports. Through our collaboration with the Toy Museum, it is our greatest desire to contribute to the increase of our Olympic athletes who make us proud by bringing children together with the Olympic spirit. As Trendyol, we want to raise Olympic awareness and support instilling a love for sports in young children. We invite both children and adults who believe in the unifying power of sports to the “Toys of Sports” exhibition.”

Toys related to various sports from ancient Greece to modern times will be on display in the exhibition. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the historical development of sports through toys. The exhibition features many different toys, from the toy of chariot races in the ancient Olympic Games to the doll of the famous boxing champion Muhammad Ali Clay, bringing together the history of sports and toys. Children participating in the OLİ (Sports Culture and Olympic Education) project of the Turkish National Olympic Committee, which introduces elementary school students to Olympic sports and values, will be able to visit the “Toys of Sports” exhibition for free with their families, sponsored by Trendyol.