Izmir Culture and Art Factory

The Izmir Culture and Art Factory occupies the historic Alsancak Tekel (state tobacco) factory, built in the late 19th century. With a history of about 140 years, it is a key piece of the city's industrial heritage, and its complex covers roughly 20,000 square metres. After a year of restoration and renovation it was officially opened on 29 April 2023.

Within it are an Archaeology and Ethnography Museum, a Painting and Sculpture Museum, libraries, a state dance and music ensemble, workshops, an art street, recreation space and cafés. The museum unit, No. 4 building, is attached to the Izmir Archaeological Museum and has three floors of about 2,000 square metres each.

Around 6,000 objects are shown in themed displays. Archaeology fills the ground and first floors, with themes such as Heritage Created from Marble, the Spirit of Entertainment, Power from the Sea and Symbols of Death, while the top floor holds ethnography, with themes including Splendour and Wisdom and the Voice of the Street.

The complex is a place for lingering, mixing museum time with a coffee or a browse of the workshops.