A new exhibition has opened at the Historical Ferry Terminal in Büyükada! The exhibition, organized by the Adalar Museum in collaboration with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), IMM Heritage, and IMM Culture, features photographs from the Yaman Alkan Collection. Titled “Bodrum, Marmaris Yokken, Adalar Vardı” (Before Bodrum, Marmaris, Adalar Was There), the exhibition focuses on images of Burgazada from the mid-20th century.

Since the first half of the 19th century, the Islands gained great importance as a summer retreat for Istanbul. During this period, seasonal migrations from Istanbul to the Islands and the summer houses on the Islands became favored by Istanbul’s wealthy residents. However, by the second half of the 20th century, the pollution of the Sea of Marmara and the transformation of the summer houses on the Islands into apartment buildings caused the “white” face of the Islands to fade. The forced migrations of 1964 and 1974 struck a blow to the vibrant life of the Islands, and in a way, the spirit of the Islands faded.

Yaman Alkan, a Burgazadalı collector, has dedicated the last five years to creating a visual archive of Burgazada. The photographs in the exhibition offer a selection from his archive. This exhibition, featuring 37 panels and numerous visual materials, takes visitors on a journey back in time. It will remain open throughout 2025.

The exhibition, focusing on the history and transformation of the Islands, offers both a nostalgic journey and an important opportunity to understand the values we must preserve today.