The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is home to hundreds of thousands of fascinating items from the region’s past. Learn about every aspect of human history in Anatolia from the Paleolithic Age to the more recent arrival of Greeks and Romans. The museum’s relics are spread across two buildings that date back to Ottoman rule.
Make your way to the 15th-century museum buildings that sit beside Ankara Castle. One of the structures was used as a market building with more than 100 shops. Spend an afternoon browsing the intriguing historical objects that tell the story of Anatolia, which is a region of Turkey that is in Asia.
Look for archeological exhibits that show how the previous inhabitants lived. Take a tour of the museum using headphones that offer a detailed explanation of the artifacts on display.
In the downstairs section of the museum are classical Greek and Roman exhibits. Learn about the Monumentum Ancyranum inscription on a former temple wall. It brings to life the story of the first Roman emperor, whose ruling boundaries included Turkey 2,000 years ago. Inspect the various objects from Ancient Greek and Roman societies.
The museum is famous for its collection of artifacts from the Hittites, who lived in the area in 2,000 B.C. You will see bull figure containers, vases and various tools. Admire statues devoted to kings and gods.
Travel through time across the various exhibits, from the hunter-gatherers of the Paleolithic Age before 8,000 B.C. to Lydian, Urartian and Late Hittite periods just before the arrival of the Romans.
Purchase souvenirs and educational items from the gift shop. The museum opens from morning until early evening daily with an earlier closing time in the winter season. There is an admission fee.
The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) north of the center of Ankara. It’s a 15-minute walk east from Ulus on the city’s metro system. Use one of the many bus stops in the area that surrounds Gençlik Park. Nearby attractions include Haci Bayram Mosque and Ankara Citadel.
