In a first for Kuşadası, the Rosemary Memorial House has deployed a humanoid robot to offer visitors a new high-tech experience of the environmental campaigner’s life.

Opened in the name of Rosemary Baldwin, the British environmental volunteer who lived in Kuşadası for many years and who fought hard for the protection of nature, the Rosemary Memorial House has begun to adopt to a technological innovation.

The previously existing plastic statue in the memorial house has been replaced with a humanoid robot designed by robotics expert Adil Çelik, who specializes in android sculptures.

Created after approximately one and a half months of meticulous work examining Baldwin’s archive photographs, the robot stands out with its distinctive facial expressions, distinctive movements, and greetings.

This allows Baldwin’s memory to be conveyed to visitors in a more vivid and impactful way.

Çelik, who designed the project, recalled that he had previously designed Aşık Veysel’s humanoid robot, saying: “I began working on humanoid robots 32 years ago. I aim to introduce Turkey to the world in this field.

“The Lady Rosemary Baldwin project came to me as a sculpture. However, I thought it would be more impressive, so I suggested building a humanoid robot. The positive feedback I received led to this special project.”

Kuşadası Municipality Museums Manager Ersin Serçek emphasized the project’s importance, saying, “We wanted to keep Lady Rosemary Baldwin’s memory alive in a more vivid and realistic way.

“This special project, brought to life by Adil Çelik, will offer visitors to the Rosemary Memorial House an unforgettable experience. Lady Rosemary herself will now greet everyone who visits.”

Who is Rosemary Baldwin?

Rosemary Baldwin was a British environmental activist known for her passion for nature and devoted herself to Kuşadası. She lived there for many years, beginning in the 1960s, and dedicated significant effort to preserving the region’s natural beauty.

She made significant contributions, particularly to the preservation of the Dilek Peninsula and Lake Bafa. She pioneered the establishment of nature reserves in the region and contributed significantly to raising public awareness of the region’s endangered biodiversity.

The Kuşadası Municipality established a museum called the Rosemary Memorial House to honor her memory. This house displays Baldwin’s personal belongings and provides information about her life.

Her passion for Kuşadası and her love of nature have led her to identify with the region. She is known to have camped on the Dilek Peninsula, marveled at the diversity of plants, and said she “fell passionately in love with this land.”

Her contributions to nature conservation efforts led to areas like Lake Bafa and the Büyük Menderes Delta gaining protected status.

As a result, these natural areas gained Nature Park and National Park status

Friends of memory and conservation have implemented permanent projects such as a birdwatching tower.

The observatory built in memory of Baldwin, whose ashes were scattered over Lake Bafa, aimed to revitalize nature tourism and support the economic development of the local community.