The instruments in this museum bear traces of their histories and geographies

The Nilüfer Municipality Dr. Hüseyin Parkan Sanlıkol Musical Instruments Museum welcomes its visitors with nearly 300 instruments from the past to the present. These instruments, which have witnessed history, carry significant traces of their geographies into the present day.

The collection, which belongs to Dr. Hüseyin Parkan Sanlıkol, who made significant contributions to the cultural life of Bursa for many years and passed away in 2015, includes nearly 300 instruments from many countries and is being introduced to a wide audience. In the museum, which houses instruments representing continents from all over the world, visitors learn about the works by touring the sections with a guide.

Murat Akın, the Responsible of the Dr. Hüseyin Parkan Sanlıkol Musical Instruments Museum, provided information about the museum:

“Under the curatorship of Dr. Hüseyin Parkan Sanlıkol, we completed our studies in 2021. Speaking of our museum, over 250 instruments are exhibited in a total of 13 different islands. A display arrangement that can represent cultural regions was planned for the formation of these islands. A historical story that can be transferred from Australia to Europe awaits visitors. Although the instruments exhibited in this field are relatively modern productions available today, there are also rare and long-unused instruments that are no longer produced.”

“Our collection has been enriched with donations from the New England Conservatory”

Akın stated that in addition to the museum’s collection, 52 rare and historical artifacts from the New England Conservatory’s storage were added through Dr. Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol’s initiative in 2022, saying, “The instruments were donated to our country and our museum. This collection has contributed to our museum gaining an important place among musical instrument museums in our country and around the world. Because among them are instruments with a history of 400 years. Additionally, one of the main features of this collection is the instruments donated by the Japanese Empire to Eben Tourjee, the first director of the New England Conservatory during that period. We are presenting a rich collection to our visitors in our museum,” he said.

A 410-year-old lute awaits visitors in the museum

Akın informed that one of the pieces among the donations from the New England Conservatory is a 410-year-old lute, produced by Marco Ricci, a Venetian lute maker. Akın stated, “From the label inside the lute, we understand it was made in 1613. Actually, it is a wooden instrument with a history of 410 years. We present this piece to visitors as one of the oldest and most important pieces in our museum, which can be evaluated as a rare instrument in terms of its preservation process and transfer to future generations.”

From Turkey to America, from America to Turkey

Akın mentioned that the oud produced by Arşak Köseyan in 1916 was added to the museum through Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol’s initiatives, saying, “One of the rare artifacts with historical and cultural dimensions is the zenne oud. This oud is located in the Turkey section of our museum. It belongs to a lute maker named Arşak Köseyan, who produced ouds during the Ottoman period in 1916. This was also brought from America as a donation from Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol.”