Aydın Archaeological Museum
Aydın Archaeological Museum is in western Turkey, in the Ilıcabaşı neighborhood of Efeler, Aydın. It was established on February 16, 1959, and today houses large collections of ancient artifacts and coins.
The museum holds about 11,000 archaeological pieces, 4,000 ethnographic items, and 45,000 coins. Its displays come from nearby ancient cities such as Tralleis (Aydın), Magnesia on the Maeander, Alabanda, Nysa, Panionium, Kadıkalesi, Tepecik Tumulus, and others like Alinda, Amyzon, Piginda, Harpasa, Mastaura, Acharaca, Pygale, and Orthosia. The collection covers the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman periods.
Historically, artifacts found around Aydın were first kept at the city Community Center and then transferred to the Treasury in 1950. The museum began as an office in 1959 and became a directorate in 1969. It moved to a new building in 1973. Over time, as excavations produced more finds, a larger space was needed. A redesign in 2000 occurred, but a bigger new building was not funded at that time. In 2011, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism took over the project, and construction cost about 8 million Turkish lira (around US$4.5 million). The new museum opened on August 17, 2012, in Ilıcabaşı on a 15,769 square meter site. It is a two-story building with a basement.
The ground floor has a large exhibition hall and administrative offices, while the first floor holds a hall for temporary exhibitions, a children’s workshop, and a 130-seat auditorium. There is also an open-air backyard museum.
The museum’s layout focuses on artifacts from Tralleis and nearby regions, with items from Magnesia, Alabanda, Nysa, Panionium, Kadıkalesi, Tepecik Tumulus, and other sites. At the entrance, visitors are greeted by verses of the Seikilos epitaph, whose original is in Copenhagen.
Key highlights include terracotta statues, bronze weapons, ivory pieces, and jewelry. Notable exhibits include a Hittite statue, terracotta cups and lamps, marble busts and reliefs, mosaics from Orthosia, and a 1/3-scale mockup of the Panionium Sanctuary and the Ionian League Hall. The museum also features items from Alabanda, such as helmets with the figure of Scylla, and a statue of the Roman emperor Augustus. A notable display from Tralleis showcases Hellenistic and Roman sculptures, oil lamps, terracotta toys, and jewelry.
The coin collection is extensive, featuring coins from Lydia to the Ottoman period, and a special Kızıldere Treasure with silver coins of 29 emperors and 9 empresses from 40–270 AD. There are also demonstrations of ancient minting technology.
Today, the museum offers about 3,000 artifacts on display, with short introductory videos and a 15-minute presentation about the museum and the local archaeological sites for visiting groups. In addition to indoor exhibits, the site includes an outdoor area showcasing finds from the region.
Location: Müze Bulvarı 4, Ilıcabaşı neighborhood, Efeler, Aydın. The museum is closed on Mondays and on the first day of religious holidays until noon.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 08:50 (CET).