At Near East University, we take pride in our commitment to accessibility, sustainability, and community enrichment. Our campus stands out with its unrestricted public access to a wide range of facilities that blend education, culture, health, and nature. Open to the public 24/7, the campus welcomes visitors to explore spaces such as the Near East Hospital, Dental Hospital, and Animal Hospital, alongside our museums, the Grand Library, Cultural and Congress Center, and lively cafeterias and restaurants. Surrounded by green areas and landmarks like the Yakın Doğu Göleti—a peaceful sanctuary for migratory birds and local wildlife—our campus reflects a deep commitment to environmental preservation and well-being. More than an academic institution, Near East University is a living, learning, and cultural hub where education, art, sustainability, and community come together in harmony. Near East University provides public access to culturally significant buildings, museums, and natural green areas within its campus. The University Museum, library facilities, and campus green zones are open to the general public, and certain cultural facilities are offered free of charge. Near East University invites the public to relish the expansive, freely accessible green spaces on campus, available 24/7 for everyone's enjoyment. These areas include our serene Yakın Doğu Pond and vast green expanses, providing a tranquil setting for students, faculty, and visitors to relax, study, or socialize. The University places great value on the role of green spaces in creating a harmonious campus environment and is dedicated to their preservation and expansion. Our green areas offer an ideal setting for both learning and productivity. These spaces also serve as popular meeting points and social hubs, fostering a strong sense of community and friendship among students and staff who gather for conversations, sports activities, or picnics. As Near East University, we take pride in providing our community with a peaceful and inclusive environment that encourages a healthy and active lifestyle. Our lush green areas and parks are open to everyone, free of charge. We invite all visitors to enjoy the beauty of these spaces, underscoring our commitment to sustainability and well-being beyond the confines of our campus. "All our museums, which aim to integrate and popularise Art, History and Cultural Heritage with the society, are open to the public. Our museums serve free of charge to students studying at schools under the Near East Organisation and the TRNC public." The campus of Near East University resembles a living museum with numerous sculptures adorning its outdoor spaces and paintings gracing the walls of its indoor areas. However, these works are just a small reflection of Near East University's comprehensive museum vision. The university, with two museums situated in the heart of Nicosia, hosts a multitude of museums within its premises, aiming to make history and art integral parts of society's life. These include the Cyprus Car Museum, Walled City Museum, Günsel Art Museum, Herbarium and Natural History Museum, Maritime History Museum, Knife and Sword Museum, and the Cyprus Turkish National History Museum. Cyprus Modern Art Museum The Cyprus Museum of Modern Art, with over 30,000 artworks, stands as not only Cyprus' but also the region's largest contemporary art museum. The museum hosts a vast array of artworks, including paintings that encompass a wide range of techniques such as acrylic, oil, spray paint, airbrush, and mixed media. In addition to paintings, the museum showcases the creative process of wood carving, marble and ceramic sculptures, clay shaping, bronze sculptures, and the crafting stages of handmade hunting knives. Walled City Museum Near East University has brought art to the historic center of Nicosia with the establishment of the 'Walled City Museum.' The 'Walled City Museum' serves as a bridge between the cultural identity of Cyprus and the national and international art scene, creating an environment for art and culture within the capital. The museum's interior design offers a unique visual spectacle, with its ceilings adorned using gold leaf, depicting various historical events such as the Ottoman Empire's conquest of Nicosia, the arrival of the British in Larnaca, and the events surrounding the Peace Operation on July 20, 1974. You can also explore the museum with a free 3D virtual tour here: https://www.neu-walledcitymuseum.org/ Cyprus Car Museum One of the most captivating museums on the Near East University Campus is the Cyprus Car Museum, the country's only classic car museum. With its rich collection, the museum offers a fascinating glimpse into the development and history of the modern world through the transformation of automobiles. The museum showcases over 100 cars. Herbarium and Natural History Museum The Herbarium and Natural History Museum materializes the natural history of Cyprus into a visible and tangible form. A reflection of Near East University's 42 years of scientific accumulation, the museum exhibits around 11,000 different plant samples from nearly 1,600 plant species found in Cyprus. It also includes various fungi species, insect types, different reptile species, marine life, and materials related to the geology of Cyprus. Günsel Art Museum Located on Dereboyu, the most prominent street in the capital city of Nicosia, the Günsel Art Museum boasts 15 gallery spaces, showcasing exclusively the works of contemporary award-winning artists in various mediums, including paintings, ceramics, and sculptures. With both temporary and permanent exhibition halls and an art shop, the museum is actively engaged in its cultural endeavors. 2025 Museum Visits and Community Engagement The Best Way to Learn: They Discovered by Exploring! In December 2025, Near East University hosted approximately 260 primary students and 18 teachers from Dr. Suat Günsel Kyrenia Primary School for a three-day interactive learning trip across its campus museums. As part of the university’s initiative to provide public access to cultural and educational facilities, students explored the Cyprus Car Museum and the Cyprus Museum of Modern Art, engaging with diverse collections ranging from historical automobiles and natural exhibits to fine art and craftwork. Principal Canan Gürkan emphasized that experiencing cultural heritage and artistic production firsthand strengthens observation skills, fosters personal development, and deepens appreciation for regional culture and history among young learners. https://neu.edu.tr/the-best-way-to-learn-they-discovered-by-exploring/?lang=en Near East University Opens Campus Museums and Sports Facilities to Youth Summer Program Participants In July 2025, students from the Dört İşlem Education Center participating in the "Little Fish Swimming" summer program at Near East University’s Olympic Swimming Pool gained broad public access to the university’s premier sports and cultural facilities. Alongside receiving professional swimming instruction and utilizing the Near East Primary School’s indoor sports hall for physical activities, the students explored the university’s world-class museums. During their visits to the Cyprus Car Museum and the Herbarium and Natural History Museum, participants engaged with diverse collections featuring classical automobiles, interactive exhibits, and over 11,000 botanical and natural specimens from Cyprus. By granting young community members open access to its scientific, cultural, and athletic infrastructure, the university actively fosters youth development, health literacy, and cultural enrichment. https://neu.edu.tr/little-fish-on-a-museum-tour/?lang=en Endemic Discovery by High School Students! In April 2025, Near East University welcomed 110 biology students from Bülent Ecevit Anatolian High School for an interactive educational tour across its campus museums. Led by Prof. Dr. Özge Özden, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, the students visited the Cyprus Herbarium and Natural History Museum to examine over 20,000 plant, fossil, and animal specimens, consolidating their classroom learning on Cypriot endemic species, ecosystem preservation, and biodiversity. The visit also included guided tours of the Cyprus Car Museum and the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts, where students explored technological advances since the industrial revolution alongside regional artistic heritage. Biology teacher Diren Civa Güner noted that providing high school youth with hands-on access to scientific collections and cultural resources enhances environmental awareness, fosters scientific curiosity, and inspires future career paths in fields such as biology, medicine, and pharmacy. https://neu.edu.tr/endemic-discovery-by-high-school-students/?lang=en They witnessed history at the Walled City Museum! In April 2025, 7th-grade students from Near East Yeniboğaziçi College visited the Walled City Museum at the Kyrenia Gate in Nicosia to engage with the region's rich historical and cultural heritage. Accompanied by their teachers, the students toured multi-story exhibits featuring over 70 sculptures, maritime objects, traditional clothing, and historical artifacts spanning various eras, including 17th-century carpets and Ottoman-period decrees and court registers. The educational tour offered immersive insights into local history through hyperrealistic sculptures of Turkish Cypriot community leaders, ceiling paintings depicting pivotal historical milestones, and commemorative artworks honoring significant regional events. By providing young students with direct access to local history and cultural assets, the university initiative actively fosters historical literacy, cultural preservation, and intergenerational memory within the community. https://neu.edu.tr/they-witnessed-history-at-the-walled-city-museum/?lang=en Near East University Hosts High School Campus and Cultural Exploration Tour to Support Youth Career Literacy In March 2025, approximately 100 students from Güzelyurt Kurtuluş High School visited the Near East University campus for an immersive academic and cultural orientation day. Accompanied by Guidance Counselor Gözde Tunçbel Çiftçi, the students explored key academic facilities, including the faculties of Health Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, Dentistry, Arts and Sciences, Education, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Communication. As part of the public cultural engagement initiative, the tour also provided access to the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts and the Cyprus Car Museum, where students engaged with rich collections of regional art, historical vehicle exhibits, and cultural artifacts. By offering high school youth direct exposure to university life, career pathways, and cultural heritage, the program actively promotes academic orientation, career awareness, and personal development. https://neu.edu.tr/students-from-guzelyurt-discovered-their-future/?lang=en They came from Poland and were amazed by the museums! In March 2025, Near East University hosted prospective veterinarians from the University of Warmia and Mazury in Poland as part of an international student exchange and clinical internship program organized by the International Veterinary Students Association Cyprus (IVSA Cyprus) under the Dean of Students. Throughout the mobility program, the visiting students engaged in clinical practice at the Near East University Animal Hospital while exploring the region's historical and environmental heritage. As part of the university's public engagement and cultural exchange initiative, the students visited on-campus cultural venues—including the Cyprus Herbarium and Natural History Museum, the Cyprus Museum of Modern Art, and the Cyprus Car Museum—as well as historical landmarks in Nicosia's Walled City. Highlighting the initiative's impact, Dean of Students Prof. Dr. Dudu Özkum Yavuz emphasized that international exchange programs play a crucial role in expanding global academic collaboration, enhancing professional competency, and fostering intercultural dialogue among future healthcare professionals. https://neu.edu.tr/they-came-from-poland-and-were-amazed-by-the-museums/?lang=en The Grand Library at Near East University offers free 7/24 access to all its resources, including books, publications, and electronic databases, to the public. Committed to cultivating a culture of knowledge sharing, the library provides its extensive collection of academic materials and digital resources for everyone to utilize. Near East University, believing that the foundation of development lies in knowledge and offers world-class services to all visitors with its library, which is built on an area of 15,000 square meters and operates 24/7. The library has been open to the public since its establishment and provides access to more than 2,250,000 printed books and over 60,000 electronic journals, offering access to 1 billion electronic resources from all around the world. The library also includes 10,500 DVDs, 17 screening rooms, 12 individual and group study rooms, 4 amphitheaters with a capacity of 1,000-seat, a 350-seat theater stage, and 1,000 study desks. Within the library, there are facilities such as audio-visual viewing cabins, a children's library, the CMC archive room, special book collections dedicated to individuals who have made significant contributions to society, including Atila Türk, Kutlu Adalı, Hakkı Atun, Rare Works section, and the American Corner, which is the only one of its kind in the TRNC and is funded by the U.S. Embassy. Near East University Grand Library, with its extensive collection of resources, diversity, user types and numbers, the types of services it offers, its modern architectural building, and its friendly service approach, is a modern library. The primary goal of the Near East University Grand Library is to support the university's research, teaching, learning, management, and socio-cultural activities with effective library and information services and to encourage the university's academic staff, students, as well as the entire community, including the people of the TRNC and other users, to benefit from the library services and facilities. All areas of the Grand Library Complex are equipped with the latest electronic technology and are open for use by members of Near East University and to the public. Special entrance and elevator facilities have been provided for disabled users from outside the library. Additionally, the main entrance of the library building is equipped with ramps and facility allows easy movement for disabled users. The same approach is present within the library building and its services. The library, designed to meet the physical accessibility requirements of disabled users, also houses Braille books and audio book collections. The exhibition hall within the Grand Library serves as a central location for cultural and artistic events. All of the mentioned facilities and services are offered free of charge to students and the public. With a sense of social responsibility, the library hosts many events that provide service and contributions to the community. In this context, it operates openly for public and private institutions and organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations. Near East University Grand Library was recognized as the Central Library of the Turkish World in 2007. Near East University Grand Library is a member of ANKOS, KİTS, TÜBİTAK EKUAL, TÜBESS, National Union Catalog, and GETEM.Green Areas
Museums
Near East University: A Cultural Mosaic of Museums Celebrating Art, History, and Heritage
Ataturk Culture and Congress Centre
Near East University, which cares about the presence of many cultural and social activities that support and are at the heart of a quality and effective education, has made it its mission to be a university that reflects all the colours of the rainbow. In this context, the Atatürk Culture and Congress Centre, which was designed to host of all kinds of national and international congresses, seminars, meetings, conferences and cultural events, was established. The centre consists of four halls, a great hall, two foyers, an exhibition hall and support service units. The Great Hall has been designed with the stage facilities for concerts, theatre, opera, cinema and ballet performances.
The Great Hall has a capacity of 700 people and within the 163.85m2 stage area, there is an orchestra pit that can go down 185 cm with decor suspension systems, cinema curtain, backstage curtains, frieze curtains and all the necessary infrastructure for the theatre. In addition, the Great Hall was designed for multiple purposes and its acoustic specifications and design were made in accordance with symphonic concerts and chamber music. Servo motor mobile systems for the existing lighting systems, sound systems, soft pipes and stage decorations, screens suitable for cinemascope display, and data projector screens in the stage are connected to a control system and are computer controlled and operated from a centre.Near East University Grand Library
"All facilities and services in our Grand Library, including free access to online resources, are available free of charge to students and the general public."
Public Access and Facilities