Exhibition honors Leyla Asım Turgut’s legacy in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

As part of the Culture and Tourism Ministry’s project “102 Temporary Exhibitions on the 102nd Anniversary of the Republic: A Journey into Anatolia’s Cultural Heritage,” a new exhibition titled “In Pursuit of a Passion: Leyla Asım Turgut” opened at the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts (TIEM) in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district.

The exhibition offers a comprehensive look into the life, intellectual legacy and cultural contributions of Leyla Asım Turgut. Displaying 140 items ranging from architectural sketches and traditional garments to personal belongings, family documents and archaeological artifacts, the show marks the first time her story is presented in such depth.

Speaking to the state-run Anadolu Agency, Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Gökhan Yazgı highlighted Turgut’s multifaceted identity, noting her accomplishments in architecture and sports during the early Republican era.

Yazgı emphasized Turgut’s inspirational role for many women, saying, “She was a serious collector raised within Ottoman culture — also an archivist who sought to preserve cultural values and became known for this. We wanted to honor her legacy. She was also a philanthropist who donated her entire collection to various museums, including the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts.”

He added that 135 of the displayed pieces have never been exhibited before. “This marks our 51st exhibition, with a total of 102 planned. So far, 3,019 works have been showcased across these exhibitions, more than 2,500 of which were made public for the first time. By year’s end, we will launch 49 more exhibitions across 45 provinces and 85 museums, including private museums as partners in this initiative.”

Yazgı underlined the exhibition’s core mission of safeguarding Anatolia’s cultural legacy, saying, “Young generations must learn about the achievements of pioneering Republican women like Leyla Hanım. We are working on many exhibitions with this focus.”

Istanbul Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Hüseyin Keskin noted that the exhibition reflects not only a personal history but also the spirit of an era.

“Born in 1911 to Mustafa Asım Turgut, the last Ottoman Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Letta, a figure from Vienna’s artistic and intellectual circles, Leyla Asım Turgut went beyond her profession as an architect. Through her aesthetic awareness, archival passion and collecting, she became a silent witness to the 20th century,” Keskin said.

“She was also an accomplished athlete, having competed for both Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray. In fact, the only Fenerbahçe-emblemed trophy housed in the Galatasaray Museum belongs to her, as she represented both clubs.”

Ekrem Aytar, director of TIEM and one of the exhibition’s curators, described the event as one of the most significant exhibitions in recent years.

“Our museum is home to around 40,000 artifacts. This exhibition demonstrates how a single collection could form a museum in itself,” he said.

He explained that about 850 of Turgut’s works were donated to the museum after her death. “We built this exhibition around those items. Visitors will see Bohemian crystal, women’s clothing and hats from the late Ottoman to early Republican periods, and pieces from the Qajar dynasty that her father collected during his post in Iran.”

Also on display are archaeological items Turgut donated to various museums, medals she won at the Istanbul Sailing Club, photos from her sporting career, and a childhood photo collage assembled in collaboration with the Çelik Gülersoy Foundation. Paintings of her family, including a portrait of her mother Letta by Mihri Hanım, are also highlighted — the latter now part of the Painting and Sculpture Museum’s collection.

Leyla Asım Turgut

Born in 1911 to Ottoman Minister Mustafa Asım Turgut and Viennese Letta Hanım, Leyla Asım Turgut passed away in Istanbul in 1988. She was a trailblazing architect, national swimmer, collector and archivist.

Turgut represented Türkiye in swimming competitions at a young age and later pursued a career in architecture. Her deep aesthetic sense and devotion to preserving historical objects resulted in a vast personal archive.

Her collection, spanning the 1890s to the 1980s, reflects both her personal story and the broader cultural transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Turkish Republic. The exhibition is divided into 10 thematic sections, taking visitors from the Ottoman Foreign Ministry residence to her education in Vienna and her later work in architecture and collecting.

“In Pursuit of a Passion: Leyla Asım Turgut” will remain on display until Sept. 1.