İzmir Arkeoloji Müzesi

The first archaeology museum in İzmir was opened to visitors in 1927 in the Ayavukla (Gözlü) Church located in the Basmane district, after three years of collecting and compiling works. Later, in 1951, a second archaeology museum was put into service in Kültürpark. However, due to the large number of works coming from the ancient cities in its surroundings, a new museum was needed. Thereupon, a new and modern museum building was constructed in Konak, within Bahribaba Park, on an area of 5000 m², and İzmir Archaeology Museum was opened to visitors on 11 February 1984. The museum has been arranged in a way that can meet every kind of need with its exhibition halls, laboratories, storage rooms, photography room, library, and conference hall. The number of works exhibited in the museum is over 5 thousand.

Museum Sections

Lower Floor: In one section of this floor, sarcophagi and grave steles made of terracotta and marble from various dates are exhibited. Among the sarcophagi, the terracotta Klazomenai sarcophagi, famous in the ancient world for their sarcophagi, can be seen. The late Hellenistic grave steles in this hall are among the richest collections in the world. The ceiling coffer reliefs of the “Belevi Tomb Monument,” one of the important structures of the Hellenistic period, are also in this hall. At the end of the hall, the statues of Poseidon, Demeter and Artemis found in Agora Ören Yeri are among the striking examples of their kind.

Middle Floor: On this floor, which is the entrance floor of the museum, marble statues and busts as well as sculpted head portraits are exhibited. These works in the hall are in chronological order, as on the upper floor. Inside the 8 display cases in the halls, small-sized works, again made of marble, are grouped among themselves. The Kore Statue found in Erythrai at the entrance of the hall is one of the first examples of large marble statues in antiquity. The Bronze Athlete Statue found in Kyme also has an important place among examples of bronze statues.

Top Floor: The works in the first gallery of this hall of the museum were found in various places in Western Anatolia. Small-sized works such as figurines, pottery and lamps made of glass, bronze, ring stones and terracotta have been grouped and exhibited in display cases. These are arranged in chronological order from prehistoric ages to the end of the Byzantine period.

Source: İzmir Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism

Places to Visit in İzmir Address: Address: Halil Rifat Paşa Cad. No: 4 Bahribaba Parkı içi Konak İZMİR