Bayburt Baksı Museum

Baksı Museum – A Contemporary Cultural Landmark Rising Over the Çoruh Valley
Location: Bayraktar Village (formerly Baksı), Bayburt – Eastern Black Sea Region, Türkiye
Perched on a hill overlooking the dramatic Çoruh Valley, Baksı Museum stands 45 kilometers outside Bayburt as one of Türkiye’s most unique cultural institutions. Located in Bayraktar Village—historically known as Baksı—the museum brings contemporary art and traditional handicrafts together under one roof, creating a powerful dialogue between past and present.

A Vision Born from the Land

Spread across a 40-acre area, the museum complex includes exhibition halls, the Depo Museum, workshops, a conference hall, a library, and a guesthouse. Baksı Museum began as the personal dream of Bayburt-born artist and academic Prof. Dr. Hüsamettin Koçan, who envisioned giving back to the land of his birth by bringing his life experience, artistic vision, and cultural knowledge to his hometown.

To bring this vision to life, the Baksı Culture and Arts Foundation was established in 2005. Over the years, the museum grew into a remarkable social project, supported not only by artists but also by numerous volunteers.
The museum’s main building was completed in 2010 without any state funding, following an intense and challenging process. After its introduction at Istanbul Modern in June 2010, Baksı Museum officially opened in July. In 2012, the new exhibition space, Depo Museum, welcomed visitors for the first time.

A Cultural Response to Migration and Changing Traditions
Located in Bayraktar Village—a region long affected by outward migration—Baksı Museum is more than a cultural venue; it is a response to the social challenges created by disappearing traditions, forgotten values, and the emotional landscape of migration.
The museum aims to:

✔ Encourage Reverse Migration
By strengthening ties between tradition and the future, and by supporting local employment, hopes, and morale, the museum seeks to create conditions that motivate people to return to their homeland.

✔ Preserve and Revitalize Traditional Culture
Research projects focus on safeguarding traditional knowledge and passing it on to future generations. Special emphasis is placed on programs that support women’s employment, enabling local women to produce and sustain traditional crafts.

✔ Support Gifted Children
The museum identifies gifted children in the region, provides scholarships, and creates development opportunities—especially in design, art, and culture.

✔ Boost Cultural Tourism and Local Employment
By attracting visitors to the area, Baksı Museum contributes directly to the region’s economy. Plans also include transforming Bayraktar Village into a model settlement that preserves its traditional architecture.

A Museum with a Social Mission
Baksı Museum is not simply a place to observe art—it is a living institution that creates opportunities, offers education, and aims to make life in the region meaningful and joyful.
Unlike traditional museums focused solely on display, Baksı Museum brings together heritage and innovation, tradition and modernity, while also operating production units that contribute to local economic development.