The Antalya Archaeological Museum is one of Turkey’s largest museums, located in Antalya. It includes 13 exhibition halls and an open air gallery. It covers an area of 7,000 m2 (75,000 sq ft) and has 5000 works of art are exhibited. In addition a further 25,000–30,000 artifacts which cannot be displayed are in storage. As a museum exhibiting examples of works, which illuminate the history of the Mediterranean and Pamphylia regions in Anatolia, Antalya Museum is one of the most important of Turkey’s museums. The Museum won the “European Council Special Prize” in 1988.
At the end of the World War I, during the time when Antalya was under the Italian military occupation, Italian archeologists started to remove the archeological treasures that had been found in the center or the surroundings to the Italian Embassy, which they claimed to do in the name of civilization. To prevent these initiatives, Süleyman Fikri Bey, the Sultan’s teacher, applied to the Antalya post and jurisdiction of the provincial Governor in 1919 and had himself appointed as voluntary curator of antiquities and first tried to establish the Antalya Museum by collecting what remained in the center.
The museum at first operated in the Alâeddin Mosque in 1922, then in Yivli Minare Mosque beginning from 1937, and then moved to its present building in 1972. It was closed to visitors for a wide range of modifications and restorations in 1982. It was reorganized according to a modern approach for a museum and opened to the public in April 1985, after the restorations and display arrangements made by the General Directorate of Ancient Objects and Museums.
Roman Dancer at Antalya Archaeological Museum
Bronze age burial practice around here (for some): in a big amphora jar
Three Graces in Antalya Archaeological Museum
This didn't look like much from the outside, but the quantity and quality of artefacts was amazing!
We had two 7yr old boys with us and even they enjoyed it!
This museum has made a wonderful chronological display of history within Turkey. It was a high light for me and curators of the museum have organised the history of civilisation more effectively
We spent a number of hours in the museum as it was about the only place I could get to after breaking my foot. It was amazing and very informative. Some of the artifacts and statues were really awesome.
An excellent museum, not to be missed when you are in Antalya. Items on display are of different categories and periods from pre-historic to the Roman era. This musuem brings to life the biblical cities. However, a head set with commentaries which could be rented at the front of the museum is a must, otherwise many useful and important imformation…
Great Statues – good documentation. Very clean and modern WC. Good terrace cafe. Must See. Photography encouraged but Flash is NOT Encouraged. Lighting works well for natural light.
A very good museum with well pesented items. You can easily spend spend 3-5 hours here and this comment comes from someone who is just a so-so museum goer who is easily bored if too many museums, nicely arranged jumbles of rocks, mausoleums, mosques, monuments, etc. Entry fee was 15 YTL and was exceptionally good value in my opinion.'
This museum has the largest collection of Roman sculptures I have ever seen, along with a wonderful Turkish ethnographical collection (rugs etc). Absolutely worth your time!
plenty to see here but don't expect interactive exhibits. this is an excellent classical museum laid out clearly so that the history of the area can be traced chronologically. The sculpture galleries are superb (though I was more intereted in the pottery and glass) there are lots more pieces of sculpture in the gardens. easily reached by tram and combined…
Quiet great Museum to visit, entrance not expensive (7 euro) and plenty of great pieces of art and history. Make sure to get the headset that will give you lots of info in the language you will select and costs just 5 T.lira (2 euro).
This museum was a surprise, well laid out, good audio guide and so much to see. Depending upon your level of interest you could probably spend a good half day here and it would be well spent. The collections are diverse and well presented giving one a real sense of times gone by. The grounds were lovely with a very…