Gazi Müzesi

Gazi Museum

Samsun's Gazi Museum is on Mecidiye Avenue. The building was constructedas a hotel, with four shops on the ground level. The building stands on an area of 509 m2, and was constructed by Jean Ionnis Mantika in 1902. This building was the first place where Mustafa Kemal, the inspector general of the 9th army, and his entourage spent the night when they landed in Samsun on Monday, 19 May 1919.

Later, in 1926, the key of the Mantika Palace Hotel was offered to Mustafa Kemal Pasha, on behalf of the people of Samsun, as a token of that day. During his third and fourth visits (on 16-18 September 1928 and 22¬26 November 1930) to Samsun, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk stayed in this hotel, which was given to him as gift from the people of Samsun. The building opened as Gazi Museum in 1940, through the efforts of the Municipality of Samsun. It was then transferred to the Ministry of Culture in 1995 and reopened in 1998 after some reorganization. The Atatürk Museum, which is next to the Archeology and Ethnography Museum, opened in 1968. 

The collections of the Gazi and Atatürk Museums were consolidated in the Gazi Museum after a massive restoration, and Gazi Museum reopened in 23 May 2006