Sunay Akın
A Turkish poet and storyteller who built a whimsical museum to remind adults of the wonder and innocence of childhood.
Born 1962 (age 64)·Turkish poet, writer, TV host, journalist, and a philanthropist·Birthday: September 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
Sunay Akın emerged from the Black Sea city of Trabzon to become a distinctive voice in Turkish arts, weaving together poetry, journalism, and television with a historian's curiosity. His work, often laced with subtle social commentary and a deep affection for Istanbul, transcends simple categorization. While his written verse and sharp television presentations earned him a loyal following, his most tangible legacy is the Istanbul Toy Museum, a passion project he opened in 2005. Housed in a historic wooden mansion, the museum is less a display of playthings and more a narrative about cultural memory, painstakingly built from his personal collection of antique toys gathered from over forty countries. This act transformed him from a popular figure into a cultural architect, creating a space where history is told through the eyes of a child.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Sunay was born in 1962, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sunay Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Sunay's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1980Could vote
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 60
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 64 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded the Istanbul Toy Museum in 2005, housing over 4,000 antique toys from around the world.
- Authored numerous books of poetry and essays that blend historical insight with lyrical observation.
- Hosted long-running and influential television programs on Turkish networks focusing on culture and history.
- Became a prominent public intellectual through his columns in major Turkish newspapers and magazines.
Did You Know?
He is a licensed scuba diver and has participated in underwater archaeological surveys.
The idea for his toy museum came to him during a visit to a similar museum in Germany.
He funded the initial collection for his museum entirely from his own earnings as a writer and performer.
Akın is a dedicated supporter of children's charities and literacy programs in Turkey.
“Toys are the silent witnesses of history.”
