It was established on January 17, 1969 by the Turkish entrepreneur and philanthropist Vehbi Koç (1901-1996).

[1] The board of directors is currently chaired by Semahat Arsel, the eldest daughter of Vehbi Koç.

The Vehbi Koç Foundation already runs various museums across Istanbul, including Arter, a contemporary art exhibition space, which opened in 2010.

The Sadberk Hanım Museum, based at the Azaryan Mansion in Istanbul’s northern Sariyer district, houses the private collection of Sadberk Koç, the wife of Vehbi Koç.

The most recent major cultural project of the Vehbi Koç Foundation is the establishment of a contemporary art museum scheduled to be opened at the end of 2017 in Istanbul’s Dolapdere district, close to the city center.