16.01.2026 19:26
A retired biology teacher in Sivas turned his childhood curiosity about biology, sparked by an interesting event, into a profession. The 72-year-old teacher created a biology museum at Atatürk Anatolian High School, where he worked, with a collection of approximately 500 pieces he gathered from around the world, displayed in the corridors and walls.
Seventy-two-year-old Ertuğrul Bostancı, who lives in Sivas, retired as a biology teacher 15 years ago.
IT ALL STARTED WITH THE CRACKING OF AN EGG HE FOUND ON THE GROUND AND PUT IN HIS POCKET Bostancı's interest in biology dates back to his childhood. As a child, while walking on the road, he found an egg on the ground, curious about it, he put it in his shirt pocket. After a while, he felt some movement in his pocket. Seeing the egg crack and a lizard come out, Bostancı began to develop an interest in biology after this event.
HE DECORATED THE SCHOOL'S CORRIDORS AND WALLS WITH VARIOUS LIVING EXAMPLES Years later, turning this curiosity into a profession, Bostancı provided his students at Sivas Atatürk Anatolian High School, where he worked as a biology teacher, with an education beyond textbooks. Before retiring, he decorated the school's corridors and walls with insects, snakes, corals, starfish, and various living examples he collected from different parts of the world. With a collection of approximately 500 different items, he virtually transformed the school into a biology museum.
HE CONTRIBUTED TO MANY STUDENTS' CURIOSITY As students enter and exit their classrooms, they have the opportunity to closely learn about living species thanks to the information notes next to the items in this museum-like area. It also contributes to many students developing an interest in biology. The collection created by Ertuğrul Bostancı with years of effort stands out as a permanent educational legacy in the school.
"I HAVE BROUGHT SAMPLES FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD" Bostancı, who says that some of his students have developed an interest in biology because of this museum, stated, "I worked with all my being to be beneficial to the students, and the materials you see come from a curiosity that started in childhood. One day, I was wandering among the ruins, and I found small eggs among the adobe bricks. I thought it was a bird's egg, put it in a matchbox, and placed it in my shirt pocket. The next day, sounds started coming, and the lizards were hatching from the eggs; my curiosity started with that. I began to collect items like insects and corals from the places I visited. There are insects on this floor. Next to them are starfish, clams, and snakes and snails from many places in our country, such as Bingöl and Şırnak. The number of samples found is approximately over 500. My students are quite curious about where things come from. I even had students who said they wanted to enter the laboratory and examine them. I left a legacy of examples and information for my students in a systematic way. I brought samples from all over the world. I even brought corals and fossils from abroad, including corals that are not found in our country. I have brought samples from all corners of the world. There is nothing my students want that they cannot do. I have 8-10 students who are interested in biology because they are curious in the laboratory," he said.
"I HAD NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE" 9th-grade student Berat Ege Değirmenci stated that there are many types of living creatures, saying, "It feels like a museum has opened inside our school, which is really a beautiful thing. It arouses curiosity in people; there are examples of many types of living creatures. It is truly a project that deserves to be congratulated. There are a human skull, bones, crabs, and seahorses on the upper floor, and they are all very beautiful, but what caught my attention the most was the sea creatures. Thanks to my teacher, I learned about the seahorse here and found out what it looks like; I had never seen it before. Our teacher could have just taught the lesson and left, but he put in effort to inform people. Really, hats off, it is a very nice behavior," he said.