Written by Ayah Aboelela and Irmak Sensöz (2024)

INtroduction

Salt Research is a wide-ranging library, research center, and archive located on Banks/Voyvoda Street in Galata, Istanbul. It is housed in the historic building of the Ottoman Bank as the institution was founded, in part, as an heir to the Ottoman Bank Archives and Research Centre. Salt’s collections consist primarily of materials related to the urban, economic, cultural, and social histories of Turkey, the Ottoman Empire, Eastern Europe, and the Eastern Mediterranean from the nineteenth century to the present.

The center boasts an exceptionally wide variety of both textual and visual materials, ranging from the private papers of notable individuals and families to thousands of photographs and the archives of various private institutions. It also holds the complete archives of the Ottoman Bank. A significant portion of these collections—more than two million documents!—has been digitized and made publicly accessible on Salt’s website, thanks to the work of its archivists, researchers, and librarians.

The Salt Galata building is open for public access Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 7pm and Sundays from 11am to 6pm.

Location: Google Maps

GOING THERE

Located near Galata Tower, Salt Research is easily accessible by public transportation. It is a 15 minute walk from either the Haliç or Tophane metro station, a 10 minute walk from the Tophane tramway station, and a 7 minute walk from the Kemeralte bus stop (reached by the 26A, 28, 28T, and 30D bus lines among others). Alternatively, the building is within walking distance of both Istiklal Street and the Tünel funicular line.

GETTING IN

Enter through the main gates of the library, where a security guard will ask you to step through a metal detector and scan your bag. Nothing else—not even an ID—is required; you can simply walk in and go up the stairs to the main floor of the library. From there, you’ll find two reading rooms: one open to the public and the other reserved for researchers. The public reading room, the Gregory Michael Kiez Hall, will be on your left-hand side on the ground floor. This is a spacious room with plenty of bookshelves, seating areas, a librarian’s desk, and abundant sunlight.

Alternatively, there is the registration-only Ferit F. Sahenk Hall on the -1 floor, accessible by walking down the stairs located on the right side of the ground floor. Graduate students, faculty, and independent researchers working on topics related to the collections of Salt—including, but not limited to, visual practices, the built environment, social life, and the economic history of Istanbul, Turkey, and the Ottoman Empire—can register for access online. You will receive an online reader’s card via email upon approval. This process usually takes between one and three business days. Keep this email handy, as you will need to scan your card each time you enter the Sahenk Hall.

Finding your material

Use the website’s online search function to locate your material. You can add favorites to your online account and and return to them later.

Alternatively, you can search the organized collections guide located on the Salt Archives website, which divides the holdings by theme and named collections. This option is especially helpful for researchers who are looking to browse through a wide range of materials at once.

Ordering your material

Most of Salt Research’s collections have been digitized and are accessible online.

Select records, including photographs, are accessible for viewing and download only through Salt's network, which you can connect to for free in person by providing your phone number (which does not need to be a Turkish number).

To access non-digitized records–many, though not all, from the Ottoman Bank collections—you can show the librarian the records and their call numbers on your phone or laptop and ask if they can bring them to you. The librarian may take a photo of your screen to note the records' numbers before retrieving them. In some cases, you might need to make an appointment in advance. Once you have the materials, you may spend as much time with them as you like (until closing) before returning them to the librarians.

Ordering scans

The librarians allow you to take as many photos as you want, but unless the material you are looking for is already digitized, they do not provide scans.

Food and well-being

The Salt Research building has a café on the same floor as the public reading room, offering coffee and lunch options, including vegetarian choices. Across from the café, you’ll find clean bathrooms and a well-stocked academic bookstore, Robinson Crusoe 389. Located in a central and lively part of Istanbul, the area also offers plenty of additional dining options.

Additional remarks

Given the building’s historical significance, beautiful interior, and Salt’s extensive public programming, Salt Research has become a popular tourist destination. Visitors may often be taking pictures and enjoying the public areas at any time of day.