Located on the narrow and stony streets of Galata, The Cat Museum documents cats’ interaction with the city, their ties with humans, and their place in Istanbul’s culture. The museum’s collection includes many works by local and internationally renowned artists. Half of the museum’s profits will be spent on stray cats.
Combining the past and present, art and design, the museum tells the stories of Istanbul’s non-human inhabitants—the cats, who have long been one of the city’s common values.
Istanbul, a city that has been home to cats throughout its history. Cats are known as the guardians of the streets, regulars of the cool shadows, and silent witnesses of the city. The Cat Museum incorporates these witnesses into a narrative intertwined with culture and art. It serves as a space that documents cats’ interaction with the city, their relationships with humans, and their place in Istanbul’s culture.
The museum also sheds light on another period in Istanbul’s history: the centuries-long friendship between sailors and cats. Karaköy port has been a place where sailors met cats throughout history, took them on their ships, and carried them to distant lands. The museum presents this past as a meaningful shelter in the chaotic daily life of modern Istanbul. When visitors step into the museum, they enter both an art gallery and a section of the streets of Istanbul.
Reminding Istanbul’s Rich Culture
The Cat Museum is not only a new attraction on the tourist map of Istanbul, but also an initiative that enriches the city’s cultural and historical fabric and adds a new dimension to it. The museum’s founder, Fatih Dağlı, hails from Eskişehir but has a deep affection for Istanbul, much like many others who were not born in the city but now call it home. With a background in tour guiding, retailing, and graphic design, he sees himself as an “Istanbul promoter”. He emphasizes that the museum reflects his profound connection to Istanbul’s rich history and culture.
The museum focuses on cats and highlights Istanbul’s social and historical structure. Dağlı’s experience as a tour guide is clearly reflected in the design and content of the museum. Istanbul is a city where the old and new worlds meet, and where layers of time and history intertwine. The museum aims to present these layers, discovered through art, to both Istanbul residents and visitors from around the world. It brings the love for street cats to an artistic dimension and reminds the world of Istanbul’s rich culture.
Artworks of Famous Artists: Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu to Miro
The establishment of the Cat Museum is a reflection of Fatih Dağlı’s love for the city and his passion for cats. While the museum shows respect for the history and culture of the city, it also blends it with the understanding of modern art. The museum’s art collection covers a wide spectrum, from local artists to internationally renowned artists. Works depicting cats by many famous painters, from Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu to Fikret Otyam and even Miro, are exhibited. Each work presents the story of Istanbul and cats from a different perspective.
The recently opened museum on Serdar-ı Ekrem Street in Galata is just the beginning. The historical building rented on the same street as Mahkeme Restaurant in Karaköy will be the main museum in the future. However, the building needs to be restored, and support is needed for this. Dağlı also dreams of opening a Kedi Patisserie in the same area.
Profits Go to Stray Cats
The museum plans to host not only exhibitions, but also workshops, training sessions, and interviews. What’s beautiful about this is that the Cat Museum can be considered a social enterprise, with its primary partner being stray cats. It is pledged that 50% of the museum’s profits will be dedicated to helping stray cats.
The Cat Museum, which will help Istanbul become a center of attraction, help Istanbul residents establish better ties with the city, and also benefit animals, has brought a new breath to Istanbul. With this initiative, Fatih Dağlı and his two partners make a profound contribution to the cultural landscape of Istanbul. Offering a different experience for everyone who visits Istanbul, the Cat Museum highlights the city’s rich history and lively street culture. This is a place that both art lovers and animal friends will not want to miss.
