Antalya Museum

Antalya Müzesi

One of Turkey’s most important archaeological museums, where marble statues excavated from Perge and the Heracles Hall are the treasures.

The Antalya Museum houses artifacts from the regions of Pamphylia and Lycia, spanning from the Paleolithic to the Ottoman period. Its roughly 5,000 objects are spread across more than ten galleries, and European visitors rank it among the best museums in Turkey. The highlights are the Hall of the Gods and the Hall of the Emperors. They display many Roman-era marble statues excavated from the theatre and baths of the ancient city of Perge, including Zeus, Aphrodite, and Athena, as well as statues of Roman emperors and empresses, all finely carved and well preserved. The famous Weary Heracles statue was once partially smuggled to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Its upper body was returned to Turkey only in 2011 and reunited with its lower half, and the story is worth knowing before you visit. Other highlights include an impressive sarcophagus hall, mosaics, and relics of Saint Nicholas, the prototype of Santa Claus. Admission for foreign visitors is about EUR 15 to 20, check on site, and the museum pass covers entry. Visiting the museum first makes the sites of Perge and Aspendos easier to understand. Take tram line T1 to Müze station. The museum is about 2 km from Kaleiçi.

Antalya Museum

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