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
One of best museums I've been to in Turkey and outside of Turkey. Very new and modern inside with so much to see – can spend hours there if you look at everything! We drove but short ride on tram from old district area.
We visited in August 2012 and the museum turned out to be a highlight of our time in Antalya. There are some incredible displays of ancient sculptures and art, most of which is in excellent condition. The reasonably priced audio tour (5 or 10 lira, I can't quite recall) was a bit hard to follow (literally – it was often…
Having visited Perge this was the icing on the cake. Well laid out and very informative.liked exhibits and presentation.
İ was charged 10 Turkısh Lıre ( €5) for a small ıcecream- I thınk the museum needs to replace the man sellıng the ıcecreams and rıppıng off the tourists.
Thıe leaves a bad taste ın our mouths after 3 week stay ın Turkey.
Boy does this place have treasures. Wonderful sarcophagi and marble statuary found at a number of the arechological sites in the area fill the rooms. Artifacts, pottery, jewelry, coins .. it goes on and on. A real treat.
Fabulous museum, a must if you are interested in history.I particularly liked the pre-history and ethnographic sections. The shop is also good.
This museum covers 7,000 BC to the present. Especially notable are its Greek sttues from the city of Perge and the Greek and Roman tombs from Perge and Aspendos. Do NOT miss this museum!
Small, well organized and well lit. A must see in this area.
I visited on Lonely Planet advice. I enjoyed the small scale of the Museum as you were able to see great relics from many periods of Turkey's extensive history. I enjoyed the Roman and Greek statues in particular.
If you are visiting Antalya (and you should especially Kaleici the old town) then the archaeological museum is a must see. It's well laid out and fascinating with some really interesting sculptures. Make sure you see the sarcophogi (sarcophoguses??) and the statue of Herakles. My husband and I spent a (rare) rainy day there and weren't expecting a lot -…