There is an extraordinary museum at Gayrettepe Metro Station. More than a museum, it is a unique experience, Dialogue in Silence. A great event to understand and experience the world of the hearing impaired. The Dialogue in Silence Exhibition, which first started receiving visitors in Istanbul in January 2016, is also known as Turkcell Dialogue Museum or Dialogue in the Silence.
Dialogue in the Silence takes place in different rooms specially designed for visitors. These rooms are Invitation to Silence, Dance of Hands, Face Gallery, Shapes Forum, Sign Game and Dialogue Room. Each room tries to tell us how our hearing impaired friends overcome the basic problems they face. We put on headphones, which cut out most of the sound, and with the hearing-impaired guide next to you, we see how we can use our facial expressions, body language and hands effectively. This is how you learn to realize the ability to communicate without hearing.
During the session there are various activities and you have to communicate with your companions without communicating. As such, you familiarize yourself with non-verbal expression using hands, gestures and facial expressions or sign language. More importantly, it allows us to empathize and understand what life is like for the hearing impaired.
At the end of the event, you sit in a hall for a few minutes and ask any questions you have. You do this through another friend who can both sign and hear. Then the event ends and you find yourself with increased awareness.
Sign language is a form of communication used by people who cannot hear to communicate among themselves. Just as our language has different dialects, there are differences in sign language according to region. Since sign language in Turkish is in accordance with the Turkish grammar structure, you may not be able to communicate with the same sign language in another country. Like foreign languages, sign language also has its differences. After leaving Dialogue in Silence, you may want to reinforce what you have learned and learn more vocabulary. There is a nice video by Mesut Yazıcı on basic daily vocabulary in Turkish using sign language. Mesut Yazıcı also narrates Turkish songs in sign language so that hearing impaired people are not far away from the songs.
What is the duration and visiting hours of Dialogue in Silence?
Dialogue in Silence lasts 60 minutes. It can be visited 7 days a week, between 12:00 – 19:00.
Where is Dialogue in Silence and how to get there?
Dialog in Silence is an activity you should try at least once. Since Gayrettepe Metro Station is located in the Dialog Exhibition Area, it is very easy to reach. You can take the Yenikapı Hacıosman subway or you can walk to the Gayrettepe Metro stop from the underground station after arriving at Zincirlikuyu.
What is the entrance fee for Dialogue in Silence?
Since the ticket price for Dialogue in Silence is constantly changing, you can learn the current prices from their website. You can also enter with a discount. To benefit from the discount, you must have a Müzekart+ card, have a student ID, be a Turkish Airlines employee or a passenger who has flown with Turkish Airlines, be over the age of 65, or be a disabled person. Tickets can be purchased at the box office located in the exhibition area. Since the quota is 12 people in one session, if there is a full capacity, you can buy tickets for the next session or for another time you want. You can also buy tickets through biletix. It is recommended to be there 15 minutes before the ticket time. Since you can’t take any technological devices with you as it is necessary to create a quiet environment, the time is spent putting technological items and meeting your guide. There are lockers where you can put your belongings.
On the opposite side of the Dialogue in Silence area at Gayrettepe Metro Station, there is the Dialogue in the Dark Exhibition to better understand the visually impaired. I can say that this is another event you should definitely make time for. It is perfect for raising your awareness.
