While he was a Member of Parliamet from Burdur at the first Turkish Grand National Assembly during the War of Independence, Mehmet Akif Ersoy, our national poet, has lived in this house whose "selamlık" * part was allocated for his use by the head preacher of the Tacettin Order who used to admire him greatly. Mehmet Akif Ersoy wrote the words of the National Anthem in this house.
The house was named after the poet on October 30, 1949 in accordance with the decree of the City Council and was transformed to a museum; however, it was neglected and consequently was mined gradually.
During the foundation of the Central Campus of Hacettepe University Prof. Dr. İhsan Doğramacı, the President, had the building restored and the house was opened to visit.
For the rerestoration of the parts that were damaged in the past years a fund was raised in 1982 on the initiative of the Presidency of the University to which the Ministry of Culture, General Directorate of Charitable Trusts, Foundation of the Turkish Religious Affairs as well as some private individuals contributed. The restoration and the furnishing of the house was completed on December 24, 1984 and the house was opened again with a ceremony.
The Mehmet Akif Ersoy House is surrounded by high walls and access to the courtyard is through a small door. The house which is located in the middle of courtyard is a typical two-storey Ankara house made of timber. All along the wooden staircase leading to the upper floor, photographs belonging to Ersoy are displayed. There is a meeting room and a resting room upstairs. The ceiling of the meeting room which is the most attractive section of the house is a local Ankara ceiling with its hexagonal centre arrayed in chisel decorations.
Among the invaluable objects that are displayed in the museum are the spectacles, a pocket watch, a rosary, a gun belonging to Mehmet Akif Ersoy and the mask of the great poet's face.
Open everday except on Saturdays, Sundays and official holidays between 10:00 - 12:00 and 14:00 - 16:00 hours