Ara Güler museum & Ara Güler archive and research center as an example of photography museum in Turkey

This thesis focuses on two phenomena that document, preserve, reflect, and transmit historical information across generations: photography and museums. Both of these entities, in their own ways and within their respective disciplines and time frames, bear witness to history, safeguard it, encapsulate it, and pass it on to present and future generations. Photography, through various means, facilitates this transmission. At times, it exists in magazines or newspapers, in exhibition spaces, on the streets, or on social media platforms. Each photographic frame encapsulates a moment and transforms it into a historical document. Each document carries intrinsic value. Sometimes, it opens a window to history, as in the case of Ara Güler's discovery of Aphrodisias, while other times, a person's photograph taken in a specific location sheds light on their personal history. Museums also serve this purpose. Some museums house archaeological excavations, others house valuable paintings, and some house personal collections. In this context, it can be observed that museum types have diversified and fallen into various categories, including archaeology museums, military museums, photography museums, history museums, and more. When considering the similarities mentioned above, it becomes apparent that this thesis work intersects at a critical point. The Ara Güler Museum & Ara Güler Archive and Research Center, which houses both historical and personal collections, stands as a unique example in Turkey within the genre of photography museums. By institutionalizing Ara Güler's photographs, it sheds light on history and provides a unique perspective. Within this study, the concepts of photography and museums have been separately examined, and ultimately, an evaluation is presented by examining the intersection points, with a focus on Ara Güler and the Ara Güler Museum & Ara Güler Archive and Research Center as an example. Keywords: Museum, Photography, Ara Güler, Ara Güler Archive and Research Center