The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara

The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara (must see)

The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is situated on the southern side of Ankara Castle, in the Atpazarı region of Ankara. The museum is comprised of the ancient Ottoman Mahmut Paşa bazaar storage building and the Kurşunlu Han. Following renovations and repairs (1938-1968), the museum opened its doors to the public as the Ankara Archaeological Museum.

Nowadays, the Kurşunlu Han functions as an administrative building and contains workrooms, a library, a conference hall, a laboratory, and a workshop. The old bazaar building showcases the exhibits. Inside this Ottoman structure, the museum displays a variety of Anatolian archaeological artifacts, ranging from the Paleolithic period to the Ottoman era, in chronological order. The museum also features a vast collection of items unearthed from numerous excavation sites, representing multiple historical periods.

The showcased gold, silver, glass, marble, and bronze works date back to the latter half of the first millennium BC. The coin collections, which include examples from the first minted coins to contemporary times, are considered the museum's unique cultural treasures.

On April 19, 1997, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations was recognized as the first "European Museum of the Year" in Switzerland, thanks to its historical buildings and deep-rooted past.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Ankara. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations on Map

Sight Name: The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
Sight Location: Ankara, Turkey (See walking tours in Ankara)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Ankara, Turkey

Create Your Own Walk in Ankara

Create Your Own Walk in Ankara

Creating your own self-guided walk in Ankara is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Ankara Introduction Walking Tour

Ankara Introduction Walking Tour

Ankara, the capital of modern Turkey, is the heart of the country's central region of Anatolia. Apart from being an important center for politics, this cosmopolitan city – the second-largest in Turkey after Istanbul – plays a significant role in shaping the nation's cultural and economic landscape.

Ankara has a long and eventful history, dating back to the Bronze Age, circa 2,000...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Ankara Roman Ruins Walking Tour

Ankara Roman Ruins Walking Tour

In 25 BC, Emperor Augustus annexed Ankara, then known as Ancyra, to the Roman Empire. Following that, the city, attached with considerable importance, was enhanced with fortifications and embellished with temples and elaborate civic buildings.

The most significant Roman landmarks, a testament to the Roman imperial cultural influence, survived to our days albeit ruined, include the Roman Theater...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles