The Asiyan Museum is a three storey house previously owned by Tevfik Fikret (1867-1915), a famous Turkish poet who lived there between 1906–1915. On the initiative of Lütfi Kırdar, both the mayor and governer of Istanbul during that period, it was purchased from his widow, Nazime Hanim, and publicised by the city in 1940 and began its services as a museum under the name Edebiyat-ı Cedide Museum in 1945.
The ground floor of the museum is used for administrative affairs. On the above floor, there is a room dedicated to the poet, Nigar Hanim, where her personal belongings, such as photos and paintings are on exhibit. There is a room called the “Edebiyat-ı Cedide Room,” in which the personal belongings and documents that belonged to the authors of Edebiyat-ı Cedide. It is also the Hall of Abdülhak Hamit, and his belongings and documents are displayed there. Abdülhak Hamit is also famous for his poem, Makber, meaning The Grave. As for the next floor, there is a bedroom in which his personal belongings and the bed on which he passed away are found. Next to his seat and worktable, there is a work hall, in which he wrote poems and other writings and in which are found his personal affairs and paintings.
In 1961, the Museum (Edebiyat-ı Cedide Museum) was renamed as the Aşiyan Museum and is one of the museums operated by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. It is also one an important place to be visited for lovers of literature.
