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
Lots of interesting things to see but not so big that you got bored half way round. Not too expensive to visit.
The Antalya museum is amazing! I took the old tram to the it and views along the road is beautiful. A lot of funny stuff in the musuem and most of them are very beautiful.
They have a brilliant collection of statues as well as pottery going back several 100 years BC. We really enjoyed our time here.
There is a lot to see here, and it is perfect if the weather is off. It is just at the end of the Old Tram, so easy to visit. We should have got the audio tour as some of the exhibits do not have English translations.
If you've been to Perge you'll love the statues here!! You can touch the artifacts and there are beautiful descriptions/ stories with the figures. Well worth a visit
Thinking back, I believed that it was fasinating and educational. Definitely worth the trip.
Lovely location at the end of the tram line, making it very easy to get to by public transportation. The signage was in Turkish and English, making it very easy for us to follow. The layout of the museum is superb, and all the statuary from Perge is fabulous!
The museum has a rich, varied and well displayed collection. I would recommend that anyone visiting Antalya ensures that a visit to the museum is part of their itinerary.
There was a cheap admission fee, and there was lots to see! there was a tour guide who told you what to do and see! brilliant!
A lot of exhibition halls, medieval statues in full growth – wow! It is worth to take the audio guide.