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
Allow enough time to really see the museum. It's full of treasures!
A must-see in this beautiful city, it will take you some 3 hours but it will give you full (and very rich) historical review of this part of the world.
You Must go there before going to Perge.
You then realise the fine arts there was in those ancient times.
the sculptures are amazing by the quality and their size.
Worth visiting to see great statues mostly from Purge. Many other interesting things in here to see. Easy to find as its the last stop on the local tram.
The gift shop & cafe is overpriced with little to buy. Food & drink poor choice & value.
Great place but a bit gloomy. Could benefit from more panelling, a bit more light and liveliness. Still, has a mass of information and objects second only to the Ankara Museum
Got there at nine a.m. and had the place to ourselves. An excellent stout museum, the only fault you had to also purchase the walking tour to get all the info as there were no labels or descriptions on the exhibits, but excellent info on when where and who found or dug them up.
Note; non flash photography only, so…
Many beautiful roman and greek statues and wonderfully carved stone coffins. A visit here combined with a visit to Perge is a must.
I am interested in ancient greek, roman and turkish mythology, so for me it was a paradise
Some interesting items if you know what to look for but overall slighty neglected and dusty. Probably not for a family visit with kids.
make sure you get the electronic guide. The tour isn't the same without it.