The Museum of Illumination and Heating Appliances (
Turkish: Aydınlatma ve Isıtma Araçları Müzesi) is a small, privately run museum adjacent to the
Blue Mosque and
Hagia Sophia in the Sultanahhmet neighbourhood of
Eminönü in
Istanbul,
Turkey.
Located in a restored 19th century mansion, the museum houses a large collection of antique and archaic heating and lighting appliances, as well as a variety of other
Anatolian artifacts. The museum's pamphlet sums up its collection as:
Almost 90 percent of the items presented have been collected in
Anatolia, while the remaining are from various parts of the world. Among these are
hundreds of amazing items for illumination and heating.
All are displayed in historical sequence, starting from the discovery of fire one million years ago.
For foreign visitors interested in
Ottoman culture and society, the collection of room heaters and similar appliances gives a window into the lifestyle of Istanbul's golden age.