Museum Surprise
I recently experienced what I would like to call a “museum surprise”, while I was in Alexandroupolis with my family.
Ethnological Museum of Thrace
We visited the Ethnological Museum of Thrace before we leave, and I have to say that it was a very good experience. The museum is home to over 500 exhibits from the everyday life of the people of Thrace, from the 17th (when the territory was occupied by the Ottomans) all the way to the early 20th century. The building was constructed in 1899 and it is a reason to visit the museum alone.
Museum Surprise
But, this blog post is not for the museum and its exhibits. I might write another blog post for the museum and its exhibits some other time. It is home to some other quite intersting things also. After we walked through all the rooms and the basement, trying to read the information on the exhibits while at the same time trying to keep two toddlers from destroying everything (parenting 101), we went to the last (and largest) room where you can buy books and other things, have a coffee or just sit to catch a breath.
There were some black and white framed prints on the wall and of course I had to take a look. They looked very interesting to me, one was of a view of a busy street in Constantinople and the rest where portraits and scenes of various people from the city (apparently). I went through them and they were all signed by one photographer.
I asked the employee about them, as although they were really stunning photos, I felt they were a bit “off-topic” for the museum. Was astonished by her answer:
These are by Ara Güler , a photographer who actually died last year, unfortunately. He came to this museum last year and gifted these prints to the institution. He signed them himself.
Can you believe it? I couldn’t. For the first 3 seconds, at least. I asked and she let me take pictures (albeit with my cellphone and digital compact I had on me at the time). Here they are:
She also told me that the prints are for sale and their price. I won’t mention it here, since I felt she wasn’t sure, but I have to say that the price is for collectors 😉
Wonderful Experience
Isn’t this a wonderful surprise? Who would have thought that a visit to an ethnological museum would be home to a famous photographer’s prints, signed by himself? Have a similar story to share?
