Istanbul Dialogue Museum — Attraction in Şişli

It is a very interesting experience to visit the dialogue museum of Istanbul, i was totally pleased by the amazing time i had there.

But the most important i have to tell you is how to find it! You must take the Metro to Gayreteppe station and then NOT go up to the streets, but stay in the intermediate level of the metro where all the shops are. Follow direction ZORLU CENTER. There are unfortunately no signs for the dialogue museum, so i got lost upstairs and searched a lot in the heavily traficked streets... i tried to take good photos for you guys, indicating the directions in the metro corridors, so you will find it easily. Hope they can be uploaded in order...

You have then two options in the museum: to enter dialogue in the dark (exploring blindness for one hour) or dialogue in silence (not hearing for 50 minutes, but getting you ability to express yourself in sign language activated).

Let me talk about the blindness first: you get equipped with a white cane like every average blind person. Then an originally blind guide will lead you through more or less four experience rooms like a park and a street situation (and some more i won't tell on) and you will learn to understand your surroundings by touch and by hearing only. It was not scary at all by the way and the blind people in there were very friendly and open and not shy at all from my questions. Time was flying and i was surprised when it was finished already.

Then i took a little break in the cafeteria, which is handled by a bunch of very sympathetic deaf girl and guys. You have to order your different coffee types in sign language (!!) according to the poster. That's already a great start chasing away your shyness...

Then the "dialogue in silence" was absolutely stunning. They teach you finger flexibilty and how to form shapes and indicate shapes, textures and feelings. You learn some basics of the Turkish sign language and their alphabet. You learn how to introduce yourself by signs and spell your name. Then you must describe some stuff... and all in all you feel after less than an hour that from now on you could communicate with a deaf person. Later outside in the cafe i had a lot of good "talks" with the employees, who by the way were all of them excellent in writing and using google translate.

I was totally amazed by their friendliness and i really didnt feel that anybody had any handicap... on contrary, i felt this experience was very enriching.

Thank you so much dear dialogue team... you did...

I LOVEDDDD IT.. it was awesome just to be guided by a blind person snd live the day the way he does live everyday. With its difficultness and insecurities. I was kind of emotional cause it was just so sad and frightening to dont know where you at and be helpless. Ok at this moment you know that there is no danger around and you can walk along a wall in a slow wax. The way you cant walk in istanbul. Cause istanbul is a full and very dinamic city.. so i hurt also a bit my leg causr i was so uncoordinatef. I think people who are also have unpatience to blind person should make tjis experience. Also its for a good reason to go there and pay tjis 30 or 25 lira. Cause blind persons or thief person are working there or other kind of people with handicaps.. so you make your experience and the amount of money wont be for an...

This a one life time experience. We did the dialogue in the dark and it was a lovely experience. At least everyone should try it once in their life. It makes you realize that even though they can not see they are able to face everyday problems like everyone else. The guide was really kind, nice and taking care of us all the time. This is a must experience.

Edition: I liked it so much that after 3 years I have come back to Istanbul and I have tried dialogue in silence and I just can say thank you for letting me feel how their daily life is and taking care of me during the experience. It makes you empathize a lot. Totally recommended again. I have no words you just have to...