In Samsun, located in the Black Sea region of Türkiye, the replica of the Bandırma Ferry, which brought Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades to the city on May 19, 1919, welcomed 148,860 visitors during the summer months.

According to a written statement from the metropolitan municipality, Samsun, one of Türkiye’s most historically significant cities, hosts a number of museums, and five of these are managed by the city.

These include the Bandırma Ship Museum, the City Museum, the Amazon Village, the Havza Atatürk House and the Bafra Tobacco Museum. In total, these museums attracted 213,627 visitors during the summer of 2024.

Among the municipality-managed museums, the Bandırma Ship Museum and National Struggle Open-Air Museum garnered the most interest. The replica of the Bandırma Ferry, which symbolizes Atatürk’s historic arrival in Samsun, was visited by 148,860 people over the summer.

The museum features many artifacts from that era, and a wax sculpture exhibit recreates a meeting of Atatürk and his comrades.

The Amazon Village, which showcases the daily life of Amazon women, was visited by 35,851 people. The City Museum, one of Europe’s top six museums and recently reopened on June 5 after a nine-month closure, welcomed 5,660 visitors.

The Bafra Tobacco Museum, Türkiye’s first tobacco museum, saw 11,785 visitors, while the Atatürk House in Havza, where the War of Independence began, was visited by 11,471 people.

Samsun Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Halit Doğan emphasized the city’s historical, cultural and natural beauty, aiming to promote Samsun as a focal point for cultural tourism.

"Samsun is a city rich in history and culture, hosting numerous museums, five of these are under our responsibility, we aim to further highlight our city’s museum wealth and make Samsun a key destination for cultural and historical tourism," said Doğan.