Eskişehir Meerschaum Museum, Specialized mineral craft museum in Odunpazarı district, Eskişehir, Turkey.
The Eskişehir Meerschaum Museum displays about 400 handcrafted items made from sepiolite, a soft white mineral extracted from local deposits. The collection features works by around 60 different artisans and ranges from functional pipes to detailed art sculptures.
The city has been a center of meerschaum carving for centuries, especially during the Ottoman period when demand for carved pipes grew significantly. The museum itself was established in 2008 to preserve and showcase this long tradition.
Local craftspeople have transformed this soft white mineral into intricately carved pipes, figures, and decorative pieces for generations. These works show how deeply this material is connected to the region's identity and the skills passed down through time.
The museum is located within the historic Kurşunlu Complex, where visitors can see workshops and raw materials to better understand the carving techniques. The site is easy to find in the Odunpazarı district and offers direct insight into local production.
This is the only museum in the world dedicated exclusively to this craft, offering a rare look into a specialized art form. Visitors can see works by professional artisans selected through regional competitions and festivals.
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