Rize Tea Museum

The Rize Tea Museum, popularly known as the "Beyaz Ev" (White House), occupies a 19th-century traditional Rize house in the city centre, in the Piriçelebi neighbourhood, right beside the Rize Museum (the "Yellow House"). Built of local stone and timber, the square-plan structure has a stone basement and two upper floors and preserves the domestic architecture of the eastern Black Sea. Restored and opened to visitors in 2019 by the state tea authority Çaykur (the General Directorate of Tea Enterprises), it holds the distinction of being Turkey's first tea museum, making it not merely an exhibition hall but a symbolic monument to Rize's tea-defined identity.

Collection & Exhibition

The story of tea in Rize begins in the early 20th century, when the region's humid climate and acidic soil were recognised as ideal for the tea plant; the first dry-tea production was achieved in 1938. Through its exhibition titled "The Adventure of Tea" (Çayın Serüveni), the museum narrates this journey from seedling to cup, displaying historical harvesting tools, weighing and drying apparatus, industrial machinery parts, and a rich collection of 365 objects from 24 countries that illustrate how tea is brewed and consumed around the world.

Visiting & Tour Programmes

With free admission, year-round opening and a compact visit, the museum is an indispensable low-cost stop on Rize city tours. Agencies pair it with tea-garden and Çaykur factory visits to complete the "story" of Turkish tea, using it as an informative opening or closing stop; the average visit lasts 30-45 minutes. On guided programmes it is usually seen after Rize Castle and its tea-garden terrace, together with the neighbouring Rize Museum.

Surroundings & Access

The adjacent Rize Museum, the nearby tea-garden terrace of Rize Castle, the Ziraat Botanical Tea Garden and the seafront are easily combined on the same route. The white façade, timber door and window details and the nostalgic tea sets inside are the best photo spots. Within walking distance of the centre, the museum is reached on foot; private cars use central car parks, while tour coaches drop passengers nearby and park at the central lot. As a historic building, its upper floors are reached by stairs, so wheelchair access is largely limited to the ground floor.

Best Time & Recommended Route

Being indoors, the museum can be visited in any season and is an ideal rainy-day alternative in Rize's wet climate. Peak season is June-September, the highland and tea-harvest period. Recommended route: a morning panorama at Rize Castle's tea terrace, then the Tea Museum and neighbouring Rize Museum, and the Ziraat Botanical Garden and seafront in the afternoon.