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
The content and quality of the the muesuem is really impressive. The security staff are pervy and moody.
We were pleasantly surprised by the presentation and quality of exhibits, especially the numerous sculptures of the gods/goddesses. It's a good alternative for those who don't want to go on an excursion to Perge or another site of ruins. To be noted that the entrance is only payable in Turkish Lira (Euros are accepted practically everywhere else), only 15 Lira/person….
Marvellous museum, superbly displayed, good explanations in English. I loved the biogs of the archaeologists, and wonderful sarchofogi rescued from illegal exporters.
Use the Old Tram to get there, it's a long walk from the old town.
It was a pleasure to wander around this well designed, well lit and signposted museum with all its important pieces, mostly from Perge.
I visited this museum in April 2013. This was a very pleasant musuem to visit – there is plenty to see, but it is not an overwhelming size. I particularly enjoyed seeing the Statue of Herakles and accompanying photos depicting the return of part of the statue from the USA. There are galleries of statues which are impressive. We hired…
A must see Museum a walk back in time and just confirms the importance of Turkey in Historical times
had a lot of statues from the surrounding ruins especially perge and it made it clearer when you visited these areas,. we took about 2 hours to have a slow walk around
Wonderful display of sculptures rescued from Perge etc. Very interesting place and you need a few hours to take it all in.
Impressive museum with splendid artworks. Marvelous presentation ! Not to be missed when you are in Antalya!
Beware tour groups starting the same time you do. I had a particularly loud guy that I couldn't seem to avoid. He had a mike and his group had earphones but he didn't understand the concept of speaking quietly.