The collection contains engravings, colored and black and white photographs, postcards and photographic postcards that shine light on Ankara’s history from ancient times onwards. The engravings in the collection represent the first visual portrayals of the city, before the 1900s.
The first photographs and postcards of the city begin appearing at the end of the 1800s. These photographs are important visual sources documenting the pre-republican era in Ankara. The greater part of the collection is formed of photographs and postcards showing the institutional structures, monuments, parks and gardens, land use and plans, streets and roads, as well as important faces and various segments of society including students, teachers, the people, professional groups, statesmen and bureaucrats.