Kabatepe Museum

The Kabatepe Simulation Center or Kabatepe Museum in Gallipoli in Turkey is houses a collection of historic items relating to the Gallipoli Campaign of World War I.

Kabatepe Museum history

The Gallipoli Campaign saw French and Commonwealth forces engage in a war with Turkey – then the Ottoman Empire – in order to remove the country from the First World War. One of the main reasons for this was that Turkey was an important route by which to supply Russia. It was also hoped that this would end the deadlock on the Western Front.

Kabatepe Museum, which contains relics from the campaign including original diary extracts and letters, Brighton Beach, the intended landing place. Lunch, Beach Cemetery on the southern tip of Anzac Cove, the landing place of the first wave of Australian and New Zealand troops and home to up to 30.000 troops during the campaign, Lone Pine Australian Memorial, site of the successful attack and capture of Turkish trenches by the Australians during the August offensive, Johnston’s Jolly where you will visit the original Allied and Turkish trenches and tunnels, The Nek, Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial, captured by the New Zealanders during the August offensive.

The centre has dramatic architecture and an intense hour-long multimedia experience waiting inside—war and history as high-tech entertainment.

On lower levels within the building are several traditional exhibits retained from the former Kabatepe Museum on this site. Though static, I find that these artefacts truly bring the horror of Gallipoli to life because they were used and experienced by real people.

Kabatepe Museum today

Whilst small, the Kabatepe Museum has an interesting collection ranging from uniforms and weaponry to letters and even bullet-pierced skulls.

It comprises 11 gallery rooms in which high-tech 3D simulation equipment takes the viewer on a historical journey through the Gallipoli naval and land campaigns, taking a predominantly Turkish point of view. Individual headsets allow visitors to choose their presentation language. Note that the simulations are extremely loud and are not suitable for young children. After the final simulation, you’ll be able to spend time viewing exhibits in exhibition halls over two floors. There are plenty of artefacts, as well as English-language information panels about many aspects of the battles.

Getting to Kabatepe Museum

The battlefields at Gallipoli are now a national monument and open to the public. The Gallipoli National Park stretches for 35 km (22 miles) along the peninsula.