What to See in Eskişehir - Top Sights and Attractions

Museum of Independence is a history museum in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey. Established in 2016, it is dedicated to the Turkish War of Independence.

The museum was established by the Metropolitan Municipality of Eskişehr, and was inaugurated on October 29, 2016, 93rd anniversary of the proclamation of the Turkish Republic. The museum is situated in the historic Mestanoğlu Halil Mansion, which was restored for this purpose in a project of June 2015. The fact that İsmet İnönü, commander of the Turkish troops during the First Battle of İnönü (1921), stayed in the mansion, was key to the selection of the site.

The museum blends information and documents with the help of contemporary technology. At ground floor, a section is reserved for use by children. By using touchscreens, events of the Turkish War of Independence (1919–1923) and Conference of Lausanne (1922–1923) are explained. Moreover, children can entertain with computer games found in four rooms at the upper floor, as "War of Independence with Cartoons", "War of Independence with Newspapers", "Strategy Room" and "Presentation Room". In the "Cartoons Room", cartoons in humor magazines published between 1919–1923 are on display that depict the Allies occupying Istanbul, the Ottoman Government of Ahmet Tevfik Pasha, people and corporations opposing the War of Independence. In the "Strategy Room", the First Battle of İnönü is depicted. The room contains also wax sculptures of İsmet İnönü, Fahrettin Altay and Mehmetchik. In the "Presentation Room", visual objects depicting the War of Independence are on display in chronological order. One room in the ground floor serves to the visitors as a place for taking selfie in front of the photos of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk or War of Independence.^[4]

Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey. Museum of World Museums is a museum in Eskişehir, Turkey that displays reproductions whose originals appear in several historical areas and museums of the world. It has been established by the Aktiffelsefe Yeni Yüksektepe Kültür Derneği, a local cultural organization, and inaugurated on 8 May 2013, at Işıklar Mahallesi, Gültuğrul sokak No: 6. In its first year, the museum has been visited by more than 2000 people.

The collection of the Museum of World Museums contains more than 300 reproductions whose originals belong to 12 ancient civilizations and are exhibited in 28 museums and 20 historical sites from all around the world. The collection has also 15 pieces from Eskişehir. In the museum, the pieces are made by volunteers of Aktiffelsefe and also available to buy. Two of the three galleries of museum are used to exhibit the permanent collection of the museum; the other gallery is the garden of the building where the MuseCafe serves. There are also interactive areas such as presentations giving information about the ancient civilizations and the pieces, ancient play areas and a wheel of virtues.

The museum is open every day between the hours of 10:00 - 21:00 and is free to visit. Visitors are guided by volunteers of Aktiffelsefe. Sometimes several activities such as conferences, workshops and exhibitions about ancient civilizations, mythology, history etc. are organized by the volunteers of Aktiffelsefe.^[6]

Eskişehir Zoo is an animal park in Eskişehir, Turkey.

The zoo is in the Sazova Park, the main science, culture and art park of Eskişehir at 39°46′05″N 30°28′35″E. It is in Tepebaşı ilçe (district). It was opened in April 2017 by the Metropolitan municipality of Eskişehir after two-year construction. It is sponsored by the Eskişehir-based Eti company. The zoo covers and area of 58 decares (0.058 km2; 0.022 sq mi). There are two closed areas, one reserved for the aquarium, so called Undersea world (Turkish: Sualtı Dünyası)and the other is a house of birds, reptiles, amphibians and arthropoda from the warm regions. Most of the land animals have their yards protected either by fences with low voltage electricity or glass panels. In total there are 243 species 123 of which are in aquarium. The zoo is open to the public everyday except Mondays.^[7]

Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey. Yılmaz Büyükerşen Wax Museum, also known as Eskişehir Wax Museum, is a wax museum in Odunpazarı second level municipality in Greater Eskişehir, Turkey.

The museum is situated on Atatürk Boulevard at 39°45′54″N 30°31′19″E. It is next to various other museums. It was established on 19 May 2013 by Yılmaz Büyükerşen, sculptor and the mayor of Eskişehir Metropolitan Municipality. The museum revenues are to be used in the education of female students and in general students with disabilities.

There are 198 wax sculptures exhibited in five halls in the museum. The halls are;

Some of the characters depicted are,: Mehmet II (1432–1481), Selim I (1470/1-1520), Süleyman I (1494–1566), Hürrem Sultan (1502/04-1558), Cengiz Topel (1934–1964), Sabiha Gökçen (1913–2001), Cüneyt Arkın (born 1937), Orhan Gencebay (born 1944), Hulusi Kentmen (1912–1993), Barış Manço (1943–1999), Kemal Sunal (1944–2000), Yunus Emre (1238–1320), Battal Gazi (690/5-740), Nasrettin Hoca (13th century), İlber Ortaylı (born 1947), Hıfzı Topuz (born 1923), Ataol Behramoğlu (born 1942), Emin Çölaşan (born 1942), Beyazıt Öztürk (born 1969), İlyas Salman (born 1949), Adile Naşit (1930–1987), Adnan Menderes (1899–1961), Turgut Özal (1927–1993).^[8]

Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey. Eskişehir Meerschaum Museum is a handicraft museum in Odunpazarı district of Eskişehir, Turkey, exhibiting various items handmade of sepiolite.

Sepiolite or Meerschaum is a soft white clay mineral, which is mainly used to handicraft tobacco pipes called Meerschaum pipes. The opaque and off-white, grey or cream colored mineral is soft when extracted. However, it hardens on exposure to solar heat or when dried in a warm place. This feature allows it to give a permanent shape after carving it at soft state. Meerschaum deposits are found in Eskişehir region, generally at first rank in the world, in depths up to 150 m (490 ft).

The exhibited items of the museum were collected by Eskişehir Governorship during the International Meerschaum Festival, Meerschaum handicraft competitions and exhibits held in Eskişehir since 1998. Around 400 items handmade by 60 artisans were left to Odunpazarı Municipality. The museum was established by Odunpazarı Municipality inside the Kurşunlu Complex at Odunpazarı as the world's only in its kind in 2008.^[9]