IZMIR ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

The Archaeological Museum of Izmir exhibits an impressive collection of pre-Roman and Roman artefacts recovered from area excavations, including Bergama, Iasos, Bayrakli and Izmir's Agora. The museum grounds are full of oversized amphora dating to the Hellenistic period, with columns and capitals arranged around the gardens.

This is the place to go for a taste of Izmir’s archaeological richness. A chronological exhibit of pottery, ceramics, glass, funerary objects and the reconstruction of a 4000-year-old tomb can be found on the upper floor, while larger stone and marble statues take up the lower floor. The lobby contains a helpful map of Turkey that indicates which regions belonged to which kingdoms in the ancient world. 

The museum was moved to its present location in Konak in 1984 which is in the heart of the Izmir city and can be easily accessed. There are three-storeys to the museum and has two exhibition floors, an open-air display area, laboratories, storage room, repair workshops, a conference hall and offices.

Ground Floor Entrance Hall 
From the centre of the hall visitors get a bird’s eye view of a mosaic housed in the basement that is made from pebbles and glass and was taken from Kadifekale. Also found here is information to help understand the historical evolution of Turkey and for visitors to appreciate the artefacts that are displayed in the museum.

Ground Floor Hall of Stone Works  
There are large marble statues, busts, portraits and masks here that date from Hellenistic and Roman times along with figures of Cybele and steles venerating different deities. There is a Roman statue of a Halicarn Assos priest, a Hellenistic statue of two girls from Metropolis-Torbali and many other artefacts dating from both time periods.

Upper Floor Hall of Ceramic Works 
The exhibits here range from the Prehistoric to Byzantine times - all displayed chronologically showing a vivid picture of Turkish life through the artefacts and has informative information clearly accounting customs and art through each time period. Exhibits include figurines, vases, pottery, hydrias, bowls, urns, various terracotta pieces and masks with many different types of decoration on them including patterns, motifs, plants, flowers and animals. There are also terracotta sarcophagi and a rare bronze works from the Late Hellenistic period of an athlete and a bust of Demeter.

The Treasury Hall 
Here are coins made from all different materials along with perfume bottles and jewellery from all ages made with gold, silver, precious and semi-precious stones.

The Garden Exhibition 
Here you will find a rich collection of sarcophagi, steles, statues, friezes, phalluses and other artefacts dating from many different time periods, and there is a long frieze that has reliefs of garlands of fruit and male and female heads that was brought from Aphrodisias and dates back to the 2^nd century AD and is well worth a visit.

^{♦ The Archaeological Museum of Izmir exhibits an impressive collection of pre-Roman and Roman artefacts recovered from area
excavations, including Bergama, Iasos, Bayrakli and Izmir's Agora… more
♦ Ephesus Open Air Museum - contains the largest collection of Roman ruins in the eastern Mediterranean. Only an estimated 15% has been excavated… more
♦ Ephesus Archaeological Museum was reopened in November 2014 after extensive renovations. It houses finds from the nearby
Ephesus excavation site… more
♦ Basilica of St. John was built in the 6th century AD, under emperor Justinian I, over the supposed site of the apostle's tomb. It was
modelled after the now lost Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople… more
♦ Temple of Artemis – one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, once stood 137 m x 69 m with 127 marble pillars each 18 m high. The temple earned the city the title Servant of the Goddess… more
♦ The House of Virgin Mary. Located on the top of Nightingale mountain, the House of the Virgin Mary
Turkish: Meryemana), is located in a nature park between Ephesus and Seljuk, and is believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. The peaceful site is sacred to both Christians and Muslims, and is visited by many tourists and pilgrims… more
♦ Village of Sirince. Once known as Kirkince, the village was built by the Greeks around 800 years ago and since the population
exchange in 1924 has since been inhabited by Muslims from Thessalonica. Indeed its habitants gave this name on purpose as they did
not want to be bothered by foreigners not to share the beauty of their village.… more 
♦ The Site of Ancient Pergamum – City of Science & Satan…? Perched atop a windswept mountain along the Turkish coastline and gazing proudly over the azure Aegean Sea... more
♦ Didyma - Priene - Miletus - the three towns of Priene, Miletus, and Didyma make up part of Ancient Ionia, homeland of many of the ancient world’s greatest artistic and scientific minds, and each endowed with haunting ruins... more
♦ Pamukkale & Ancient Hierapolis. Deriving from springs in a cliff almost 200 m high overlooking the plain of Curuksu in south-west
Turkey, calcite-laden waters have created an unreal landscape, made up of mineral forests, petrified waterfalls and a series of terraced
basins given the name of Pamukkale (Cotton Palace)... more
♦ Aphrodisias is one of the oldest sacred sites in Turkey. The site has been sacred since as early as 5.800 BC, when Neolithic farmers came here to worship the Mother Goddess of fertility and crops... more}