From Factory to City: The Transformation of Dokuma
In the middle of Kepez, in one of the quietest corners of a rapidly changing district, the walls of an old factory still stand. But what those walls carry now is something different: the memory of Antalya.
The Antalya Spinning and Cotton Weaving Factory was founded in the 1950s by then-President Celal Bayar and Prime Minister Adnan Menderes. Its purpose was twofold: to address the city's rapid population growth and unemployment, and to process the locally grown cotton known as "white gold." With 700 entrepreneurs helping raise an initial capital of 6 million Turkish lira, the factory quickly became one of the most significant industrial establishments of Republican Turkey on the Mediterranean. Uniforms for the Turkish Armed Forces and NATO were produced here.
Production halted in 2003. The site was put up for sale, but its vast 500-decare area found no buyers. Its shares were eventually transferred to Kepez Municipality, and the grounds opened to the public in 2015 as DokumaPark.
A City of Museums
DokumaPark today is not just a park — it is a cultural cluster. Across 70,000 square meters of built space, it houses the Antalya Science Center, the Once Upon a Time Antalya Museum, the Anatolian Toy Museum, the Nostalgic Vehicles Museum, the Textile Museum, the Modern Arts Gallery, the 24/7-open Cemil Meriç Library, the Dokuma Open-Air Museum, and much more. A botanical garden, orange and olive groves, children's playgrounds, sports courts, and cafeterias round out the grounds. The Anatolian Toy Museum drew 32,000 visitors in its opening week alone — a quiet reminder of how many layers this city actually holds.
Practical Information
- Location: Özgürlük Mahallesi, Mithatpaşa Caddesi, Kepez, Antalya. Just north of Özdilek Shopping Center.
- Getting There: Easily reached by public transport from the city center. Ample parking is available on site.
- Entrance: Free. Some museum programs may require tickets.
- Opening Hours: Open year-round; Cemil Meriç Library operates 24/7.
- Best Time to Visit: Any weekday morning for a relaxed pace; weekends are busier with families.
- Combine With: The Antalya Science Center and Open-Air Museum can realistically be covered in a single cultural day in Kepez.
