Introduction
The Private Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu (BJK) Museum of the Turkish Ministry of Culture is located inside the BJK Inonu Stadium at Besiktas District which is a unique corner of Istanbul, the historical city that has been home to many important civilizations. The museum is situated across the world famous Dolmabahce Palace and can be easily reached both from land and sea. It opened its doors to general public on November 11, 2001 through the contributions of BJK Club members and was granted the status of ‘The First Private Sports Museum of Turkey’ by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism on June 28, 2007.
BJK Inonu Stadium, in which the museum was located, had started operating on May 19, 1947. The first football match that took place inside the stadium was played between Besiktas and Swedish team AIK. The one and only goal of the game was scored by Suleyman Seba, the distinguished player of his period and who would later serve as the Club President for 16 years and is now the Honorary President of the Club. Although it has gone through some renovations over the years, the stadium’s original VIP entrance and exterior wall facing the Bosphorus has remained intact. Inonu Stadium became an instant hit among the city dwellers; since it hosted not only Besiktas’s football matches but also numerous international competitions including popular local celebrations on national holidays. Due to stadium’s functionality, easily accessible routes and attractive location being a landmark for Istanbul, Besiktas Museum is located inside the stadium.
The museum is open to public everyday between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm except Sundays and match days and is free of charge. On its 250m2 exhibition area 420 items, including the Club’s foundation document dated 1903, local and international badges and pins, various prizes such as cups, medals and plaques, original jerseys and crampons worn by the legendary Besiktaş players and historical photographs are displayed in chronological order enlightening the milestones of Turkish sports history. Its 370m2 storage space features items belonging to other sports branches besides football which are kept classified and registered. These items are expected gain wider exposure after the museum’s renovation and enlargement projects. Besides the priceless attribution of the stadium because of its special position in Turkish sports history, 35.000 Euro is spent for the exhibition hall. The museum, which had a total of 7,200 visitors during 2008-09 seasons, is in close relations with primary and secondary schools and is often visited by students through museum tours.






Some of BJK’s Firsts Displayed in the Museum
• The original foundation document of the first Turkish sports club.
• The cup of first official Istanbul League Championship (1924)
• The document of international referee license of Seref Bey, who is the founder of BJK Football Branch and is titled as the first international referee of Turkey (1925)
• The first Prime Ministry Cup (1944)
• The first intercontinental cup ever won by a Turkish team (1950, USA)
• The first Turkish  Professional League Championship Cup (1951)
• The official document which proves that BJK is invited to represent the Turkish international team with full squad (May 5, 1952)
• The first First Federation Cup  (1956)
• The first and only League Championship Cup with an undefeated record (1991-1992)
• The first Ataturk Cup (1999-2000)
• The Championship Cup of the first Turkish team holding the League Champion title on its 100th year (2002-2003)
• The first Turkish Super Cup (2005-2006)
All documents, photographs, medals, cups and related objects pertaining above mentioned firsts are displayed in BJK Museum.

Exhibition Area
The museum is located at the entrance floor of the BJK Inonu Stadium overlooking the Bosphorus and has a private gate and a main entrance. It is designed to accommodate visits by the disabled. On its 250m2 exhibition area, a total of 420 historical objects are displayed within the exhibition hall and corridor. Every one of the 30 pieces of glass separations placed alongside the corridor depicts a different BJK era, containing objects of distinguished players and original documents to help visitors travel through time and learn more about Besiktas. The corridor opens to a special hall where exhibition items are displayed according to specific events. Visitors can get acquainted with Club founders and all past Besiktas presidents by viewing their photographs located at the entrance of the exhibition hall. The gift store, where all kinds of fan items and souvenirs are available, is situated near the exit of the museum.