From factory to museum: Türkiye’s Ayvalık cultural route

A cultural route in Ayvalık, a coastal town in Balıkesir province in northwestern Türkiye, brings together the town’s industrial heritage, historic architecture, literature and Aegean cuisine at several sites in Ayvalık and Cunda.

The route includes the Ayvalık Rahmi M. Koç Museum, Cunda Taksiyarhis Rahmi M. Koç Museum, Sevim and Necdet Kent Library and Locanda, linking a former factory, a historic church, a library and a restaurant within the town’s cultural landscape.

From factory to museum

The Ayvalık Rahmi M. Koç Museum occupies a historic factory that reflects around 200 years of the town’s industrial past.

Built in the 19th century, the structure reflects the architectural characteristics of Ayvalık’s former factories and consists of two sections that were used as an olive oil mill and soap factory. Built with wooden floor beams set into masonry walls, the factory reached its most productive period in the 1950s before falling out of use in the early 2000s.

The building was purchased by RMK Kültür Faaliyetleri A.Ş. in 2021 and restored with its original materials and construction techniques preserved. The restoration adapted the historic structure for use as a museum while retaining its architectural character.

An interior view of the Ayvalık Rahmi M. Koç Museum. (Photo courtesy of Rahmi Koç Museum)

The museum’s collection includes classic cars, motorcycles, locomotive models, toys, maritime objects and archaeological artifacts.

History, collections in Cunda

In Cunda, the Cunda Taksiyarhis Rahmi M. Koç Museum is housed in the historic Taksiyarhis Church, bringing the building’s architectural and historical character together with objects from the Rahmi M. Koç Museums’ collection.

The museum also reflects Cunda’s Greek heritage through its setting and historic architecture.

The Ayvalık Rahmi M. Koç Museum and Cunda Taksiyarhis Rahmi M. Koç Museum can be visited with a combined ticket.

Another stop in Cunda is the Sevim and Necdet Kent Library, which focuses on books, publications, events and cultural activities. The library and the Cunda Taksiyarhis Rahmi M. Koç Museum are also connected through publishing, events and other cultural initiatives.

From museum to table

The route also extends into gastronomy at Locanda, located at the Ayvalık Rahmi M. Koç Museum.

The restaurant’s menu draws on ingredients associated with Aegean cuisine, including olive oil, wild herbs, seafood and regional flavors. These ingredients are prepared using contemporary techniques, while the menu incorporates elements of Ayvalık’s multicultural culinary heritage.

Together, the sites connect different aspects of Ayvalık’s past and present, from its industrial and architectural heritage to literature and food.

DAILYSABAH