The History of Zoological Museum of Istanbul University
To improve the quality of the high education, some university reform was done by government in 1993. After the university reform Swiss professor Andre Naville has been appointed as a director of Zoological Institute (Figure-1). At the same time the new building of Zoology and botany Institute was completed at Süleymaniye (Figure-2). The big part of the building was using for botany, the small part of the building was using for zoology and at the top floor a small Zoology Museum was established (Figure-4-5).
Figure-1 ORD. PROF. DR. ANDRE NAVILLE
Figure-2 Old building of Zoology and botany institute in Süleymaniye
In 1937, after the instantaneous death of Naville, Ord. Prof. Dr. Curt Kosswig was appointed as director of the Zoology Museum(Figure-3). During the term of office, Kosswig and his students focused on Anatolian fauna. After the 15 years, Mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, belonging to Anatolian fauna also fish, and many classes of invertebrates that collected from Turkish costs were obtained and collections were formed in museum (İshakoğlu-Kadıoğlu, 1998; Özuluğ O. 2009)
Figure-3. ORD.PROF.DR. CURT KOSSWIG
In 1954, after Curt Kosswig completed the mission successfully, Prof. Dr. Fazıla Sevket Giz appointed as a director of institute. Top floors of the Zoology and botany building was collapsed in 1957 during directory of Prof.Dr.Fazıla Şevket Giz. Also the Zoology department with Zoology Museum was moved. The materials of the Zoology Museum are stored in Kuyucu Murat Paşa Medrese for many years. In 1973, during the deanship of Prof. Dr. Atıf Şengün, the current Zoology building construction was completed.
Figure-4. The old view of the museum (1933-1957)
Figure-5. The old view of the museum (1933-1957)
Zoology Museum
After a long period ( 30 years) all materials belonging to museum were cleaned and repaired by Prof. Dr. Dinçer GÜLEN and his team between the time period 1987-1989. At last in 1989 the museum was opened. The new museum consist of two parts including show and the collection. New area of the show museum is 120m2. Approximately 1500 Insecta, 35 Pisces, 14 Amphibia, 32 Reptilia, 143 Aves (most of come from Yıldız Palace), 170 Mammalia, 193 Invertebrat specimens are showed. Among them Hatteria punctata (Sphenodon punctata) and Pantheria pardus tulliana are the important show materials(Figure-6-7).
Figure-6. Hatteria punctata (Sphenodon punctata)
Figure-7.Pantheria pardus tulliana
Collections including benthic invertebrate animals were collected from Marmara, Mediterranean, Aegean and Black Sea. The species status of most of the materials is not determined.
There are also collections of The Mammalians (Insectivora, Chiroptera, Rodentia, Carnivora), Aves, Mollusca (Gastrapoda-Pulmonata) and insects, collected from Anatolia.
Coleopthere collection was done by Bernard Tubbini also there are Lephitoptera collection collected from Anatolia.
References:
- GÜRSOY, G., 2008. İstanbul Üniversitesi Zooloji Müzesi Bentik Omurgasızlar koleksiyonunun Envanteri. İ. Ü. Fen Bilimleri enstitüsü. Yüksek lisans tezi. P. 100.
- İSHAKOĞLU-KADIOĞLU, S., 1998: İstanbul Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Tarihçesi (1900-1946) Üniversite yayın no:4106. ISBN 975-404-501-1
- ŞENGÜN, A. ve GÜNEYİ, N., 1968. İstanbul Gündüz Kelebekleri. İstanbul Üniversitesi yayınları Sayı:1332, no:85
- ÖZULUĞ 2009: İstanbul Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Biyoloji Bölümü Zooloji Müzesi ve Önemi. 73-77. Üniversite Müzeleri ve Müzecilik ISBN:978-975-482-829-0 Ankara Üniversitesi - Ankara