programs

FOLLOW OUR FELLOWS

Fellows play a vital role in the life and work of the Museum. The Fellows Program offers a world of opportunities to satisfy your curiosity and fulfill your passion for the rare and exciting. Bowers Fellows are presented with exclusive travel opportunities including an international trip and a domestic trip each year.

To join or renew today, go to bowers.org/membership, call 714.567.3639 or sign up with Visitor Services on your next trip to the Bowers!

The Bowers Museum offers everyone a chance to experience international arts and culture without leaving Southern California. However, if you are the exploring type - always in search of something more - consider becoming a part of the Bowers Fellows. The Fellows Program offers a world of opportunities to satisfy your curiosity and fulfill your passion for the rare and exciting. Bowers Fellows are presented with exclusive travel opportunities including an international trip and a domestic trip each year. Fellows play a vital role in the life and work of the Museum. Anyone can join the Fellows and support the Bowers for just $1,200 for a full year ($1,135 is tax-deductible). The tax deductible portion of your contribution will further support the Bowers’ mission to “enrich lives through the world’s finest arts and cultures.”

TURKEY

Bowers Fellows are currently discovering Istanbul and Cappadocia, exploring Antalya and Troy with visits to Pamukkale, Bodrum, and Ephesus in a two week excursion through Turkey. The sunset over Istanbul pictured here shows the mesmerizing beauty of one of the most amazing cities on earth and former capital of both Romans and Ottomans. While in Istanbul, Fellows visited the Underground Cistern where palace waters used to be stored during Roman times; they toured Hagia Sophia, a 6th century Roman cathedral whose sheer scale still perplexes architects today; and they viewed the 17th century Blue Mosque, superbly decorated with blue Iznik tiles.

ITINERARY FOR TURKEY TRIP

Peter Keller

April 30

Depart USA

May 01 ISTANBUL

3:45pm. Arrive at Istanbul where you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel. Welcome drinks and dinner at the hotel around 7 pm hosted by Bowers Museum.

May 02 ISTANBUL / CAPPADOCIA

Start your day discovering Istanbul, one of the most amazing cities on earth and former capital of both Romans and Ottomans. First visit the Underground Cistern where palace waters used to be stored during Romans and then see Hagia Sophia, a 6th century Roman masterpiece which was the largest cathedral in the world. Even today’s architects can’t believe how such a large cathedral could be built in the 6th century. Following lunch, walk to the 17th century Blue Mosque, superbly decorated with blue Iznik Tiles. Late in the afternoon, head to Airport for our flight to Cappadocia and check into your cave hotel.

Lunch at Sabahttin Fish Restaurant; Dinner at Hotel Yunak

May 03 CAPPADOCIA

Get up and out by 5 am for our hot air balloon ride before we return to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, begin to explore Cappadocia, land of beautiful horses. With its unique landscape, caves, fairy chimneys and amazing underground cities, Cappadocia has a lot to offer its visitors... Also because of the fact that early Christians built thousands of cave churches and lived here to spread their religion to Asia Minor, it is also considered to be the birth place of Christianity...

Lunch at Uchisar Kaya Resturant; Dinner at Hotel Yunak.

May 04 ANTALYA

Leave Cappadocia in the morning and head to Antalya, the provincial capital of the Mediterranean region, passing through villages and enjoying beautiful countryside scenery. Lunch will be at en route. Continue drive to Antalya and check into hotel Hillside where we are going to have our dinner.

Lunch at Konya Resturant; Dinner at Hotel Hillside

May 05 ANTALYA

Here in this beautiful city, first visit the 2nd century Aspendos Theatre, which is the best preserved Roman theatre in the world and then see the Antalya Archaeology Museum for its great collection of finds in the Mediterranean region such as glass objects, porcelains, coins that were mostly from the shipwrecks discovered underwater and the great statues of Roman Emperors. Before driving back to hotel, stop by the city walls from the 2nd century.

Lunch at Urcan Restaurant; Dinner at Hotel Hillside

May 06, PAMUKKALE

Following a roughly 3 hour drive, reach Pamukkale boasting the famous white travertines and the ruins of Hierapolis, a city once known for the curative powers of its warm calcium-rich waters in which you’ll have the opportunity to soak your feet, too...

Lunch at Denizli Resturant; Dinner: Hotel Colossae

May 07, BODRUM

Today depart for one of the most beautiful resort towns in Turkey, Bodrum, called Halicarnasus in ancient times. It is located on the southern coast of Bodrum Peninsula, at a point that checks the entry into the Gulf of Gokova, and it faces the Greek island of Kos. Arrive in time for lunch on the sea and check out the Underwater Archaeology Museum before checking into our hotel and dinner.

Lunch at Mehmedov; Dinner at Hotel The Marmara

May 08, BODRUM

Today we will have a chance to enjoy the crystal clear waters of the Aegean on a traditional wooden sailing ship known as a Gulet, and explore the beautiful coast line.

Lunch at Sultanahmet Koftecisi; Dinner our Hotel The Marmara

May 09 EPHESUS

Depart for Ephesus, the richest city during Romans.. First visit the house of Virgin Mary where she spent her final days and then drive down to Ephesus Open Air Museum… Even though the harbour city of Ephesus in which 250,000 residents used to live is in ruins today, its theatres, fountains, houses of the rich, Roman Baths, library and marble streets still continue to amaze its visitors…

Lunch at Selcuk Bizim Ev; Dinner at our Hotel Swiss

May 10 Troy

This morning we leave Ephesus for the legendary city of Troy, which because of its superb location had been one of the most frequently attacked cities in the world, just like the Greeks that attacked and fought Trojans for 10 years at the end of which they came up with an incredible trick; a gift of WOODEN HORSE with soldiers hidden inside. The excavations on the site have been going on the site for almost 150 years and there are sure a lot waiting to be unearthed.

Lunch at Bergama; Dinner at our Hotel Kolin

May 11 ISTANBUL

Following breakfast, drive along the Gallipoli Channel which was the scene to one of the worst battles in the history resulting in an incredible loss of half a million people.. Here we’ll take a ferry and cross the channel to the European Continent and continue drive to Istanbul to visit the 15th century Topkapi Palace which was the seat of the Ottoman Empire for nearly 500 years. The palace that spread around 4 courtyards serves as a museum today and houses one of the richest imperial jewelry collections in the world. A visit to Turkey without the cruise along the Bosphorus Channel which divides Europe and Asia is not complete. So enjoy it watching beautiful palaces, mosques, fortresses and amazing "Yalis", mostly 17th century wooden mansions, some of which are in the list of the most expensive houses in the world.. Also today stroll through the Eminonu area to walk by some Ottoman Structures such as the Spice Bazaar and enjoy tasting delicious fish sold along the sea by the famous vendors…

Lunch at Kosebasi Istanbul; Dinner at Topez Restaurant

May 12 ISTANBUL

All day to explore the Topkapi Museum and Palace, the Grand Bazzar, or travel across the bridge to Asian Istanbul. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon in time to meet in the lobby at 6:30 for our Farewell Dinner.

Lunch at Storks; Dinner at Reina

May 13 Departure back home….

3:20am Check out and have driver take you to airport for 5:55am flight back home.