01 / DOCUMENTS
Town archive
Old photographs, letters, maps and small records of everyday life… We gather traces of Ayvalık to create a resource for local research.
Add your pieceTRACING THE PAST, TOGETHER.
A town’s
memory,
a story
we share.
The life behind a photograph. A street’s
forgotten name. Together, we discover
the stories Ayvalık has to tell.
01 / A VIEW FROM AYVALIK39°19′ N · 26°42′ E
LOCAL MEMORY✳ORAL HISTORY✳CULTURAL HERITAGE✳LEARNING TOGETHER
01 ABOUT US
A shared home
for curious minds.
Our story began in late 2019, when four people with a love for Ayvalık came together. There is a place here for anyone researching the town’s past, listening to their neighbourhood or sharing a photograph.
On 8 January 2025, we became Ayvalık Yerel Araştırma Evi Derneği, the Ayvalık Local Research House Association. We collect photographs, documents and personal accounts. We share this growing collection with researchers and anyone curious about Ayvalık.
2019A shared curiosity,
a collective effort
a collective effort
2025The same enthusiasm,
now an association
now an association
02 / OUR WORK
Gathering traces,
keeping stories alive.
A town’s memory lives in many places.
In a drawer, along a street,
in a neighbour’s story.
02 / PERSONAL ACCOUNTS
Oral history
We learn about Ayvalık from the people who live here. Personal memories, neighbourhood life, the changing town… We listen to experiences that written records often leave out.
Listen to the stories03 / EXPLORING ON FOOT
Living heritage
We explore the historic townscape and the past of its neighbourhoods in person. Walks, presentations and shared projects open new ways to get to know Ayvalık.
Explore with us
YOUR PIECE OF LOCAL MEMORY
In your drawer,
a piece of Ayvalık.
A photograph in your family album. A receipt from an old shop. A neighbourhood story passed down by your elders. A small trace can open a new door into the town’s past.
Have a document, story or piece of research to share? Let’s meet. An email is a good place to start.
Share your story Every story leaves a trace.ABOUT AYVALIK
Take a closer look
at Ayvalık’s story.
Beyond the seafront lie olive-based industries, generations of work and memories passed down through families. Get to know Ayvalık through the stories that shaped it.
Explore AyvalıkTOWN HISTORYCULTURE OF PRODUCTIONLIVING HERITAGE
Ayvalık Municipality Cultural PublicationsThe story of a town at work.Discover the book ↗03 / OUR GATHERINGS
The town speaks.
We listen.
A SELECTION OF PAST GATHERINGS
We meet around the same table
to talk about Ayvalık.
AYEV / AYVALIK NOTES FROM A TO Z
A letter opens a door.
Ayvalık awaits.
A street name, a person who left their mark, the story of a building. In this presentation series prepared by Taylan Köken, we explore Ayvalık one letter at a time.
Explore the series05 / LOCAL PARTNERS
Side by side
for Ayvalık.
We share the same town as we research Ayvalık,
exchange knowledge and develop new ideas.
ATÖLYE AYVADA CAFE
Let’s have a coffee.
Let’s talk about Ayvalık.
Bring an idea, an old photograph or a story you would like to share. Let’s meet at Atölye Ayvada Cafe. Send us a message on Instagram before visiting so we can make time for a coffee.
Zekibey Mah. Merkez Sokak No:29Ayvalık / Balıkesir
06 / CONTACT
So much to share
about Ayvalık.
ayevdernegi@gmail.com AYEV on Instagram @ayvalikevi
ERASMUS+ CONTACT+90 539 457 67 14
WHERE TO FIND USAtölye Ayvada CafeContact us before visiting.