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
Very big and İnteresting museum İt's by the sea you just litle nice walk to go Old city I Will reccomend For the Visit these place
It was sensational, the range of artefacts was boggeling to our brains, really comprehensive information pannels in perfect English the whole way around, don't miss it!
just note, once you have gone in you cant go out and then re enter, so make sure you have enough sugar/stamina to get through an hour or two of amazingness.
This was a very good museum covering many artefacts that have been recovered from around the area. Of particular interest was all the artefacts from 'Perge" a site we had visited the day before. We spent about 3 hours here and could have stayed longer.
we rented the audio tour. there was a lot to see here. if i was to do over again i would have spent
less time in the prehistoric exhibits, and more looking at the sarcophagi. they even had would where they buried their dog.
artifacts in there are unbelieveable and have to be seen
Excellent displays that provide lots of information and a visual of the history of the whole region.
i came here with a friend and spent 4 hours wandering around admiring everything from pre-historic neaderthal "tools" that just look like normal rocks, to an impressive collection of roman statues and busts. if you like history and/or archeology, this is the place for you!
This museum is a must see in Antalya. It covers a wide range of Turkeys archeological history and has an easy lay out. Descriptions is excellent and lots of placess you can sit and rest along the way. Easy to reach by tram from kaleici (the old city) – the tram leaves from the clock tower and stops in front…
Lots to see.many amazing exhibits. Need some time to see it all. Depends on your requirements. I could spend days there.
A collection of the most amazing statues I have ever seen from sites around Turkey. must go to see Hercules! Very nice things in gift shop.