RESEARCH UNITS

Maritime History Archives
Photograph Archives
Naval Library
Chart and Map Archives
Application for Research

The Archive and Library Building was used to be the building of horse carriers division of Dolmabahçe Palace.

Maritime History Archives

The Historical Naval Archive has been founded after the establishment of Naval Ministry in 1867 and continued until 1928. Although the Naval Ministry was abolished in 1920, the old manuscripts, belonging to 1923 - 1928 period were included in this archive. Even a few number of the documents which were written before the establishment of the Naval Ministry (1867) are present. The classification of the documents, approximately 20 million pieces, have been continued and 15 catalogues were printed up to now. Several correspondence of the Naval Ministry regarding dockyards, ships, naval factories, ports and bases, naval training, legal courts, accounting office etc. can be found in the museum.

Photograph Archives

The collection consists of 12.340 photos about dockyards, fountains, military buildings, warships, merchant ships, ports and bases from Abdülaziz period (1861 - 1876) till today.

Naval Library

The library of the Naval Museum consists of 25.000 books, including manuscripts and portolans, most of which are about the seafaring and the naval history.

Chart and Map Archives

The archive consists 940 pieces which are navy maps and charts of different parts of the Ottoman Empire and Istanbul, and the coastal charts of Republic Period. The special pieces of the collection are four 16th century copies of "Kitabı Bahriye", which was written by Piri Reis and the maps which were used by Atatürk in Gallipoli War when he was the group commander of Anafartalar.

Application for Research

Foreign researchers should apply to Turkish General Staff via embassies / consulates in their countries. All applications will be answered in one month.