Ankara (Turkey) Explored: 24 Must-See historical museums to Add to Your Bucket List
Welcome to Ankara (Turkey) . Whether you’re a local or a visitor, we have a list of 24 top historical museums you must see. Discover 24 hidden historical museums gems to experience Ankara (Turkey) like a local. Get ready to be amazed by 24 incredible historical museums that will leave a lasting impression.
Information about Ankara (Turkey)
The city of Ankara, the current capital of Turkey, is the city of civilization and heritage, and the city of culture and ancient castles. Ankara is the second largest city in Turkey in terms of population and area after Istanbul, and the second largest city in terms of the number of tourists after Istanbul. Tourism in Ankara is distinguished by the fact that its most famous tourist attractions are close to each other, so you only have to arrive from Ankara Airport to the city center to be near most of Ankara’s tourist attractions. The city of Ankara has become one of the most famous tourist destinations in the country because it contains all the factors that may make any place attractive to tourists, including the presence of many places of entertainment such as hotels, resorts and nightclubs, as well as the presence of many amazing historical monuments left by the civilizations that passed through the city through the ages. , including Roman, Ottoman, Byzantine, modern European civilization and many others.
A list of the best Historical museums in Ankara
We’ve carefully curated a list of the top 24 historical museums in Ankara (Turkey) , based on visitor ratings and reviews. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, our guide will help you plan the perfect outing. Our team has scoured the city to find the best historical museums, from museums to restaurants to gardens. Let us be your guide to Ankara (Turkey) ‘s historical museums scene and experience the sights and flavors that make it unique. Don’t waste your time searching for the best spots – we’ve done the work for you. Trust our expertise to make the most of your time in Ankara (Turkey) .
1- Union of Turkish Bar Associations Law Museum
Union of Turkish Bar Associations Law Museum – The Law Museum of the Turkish Bar Association was opened in 2012 during Lawyers Week, and it is the first and only law museum in Turkey. The museum includes an art collection that visually reflects the historical transformation of law in parallel with the development of the history of thought and civilization. In the museum’s inventory are the judge’s clothes, legal documents, articles used by lawyers, certificates and licenses, cuneiform tablets, Ottoman law books, photographs, picture cards, and sculptures from different periods.
Place address: Oğuzlar, Balgat Mahallesi, Av. Özdemir Özok Sk. No.8, 06650 Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey
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2- War of Independence Museum
War of Independence Museum – The construction of the War of Independence Museum, the first building of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, began in Ankara Ulus Square in 1915 AD, becoming one of the most distinctive buildings in the country as it consists of two floors, and is designed in the Turkish architectural style with inscriptions, motifs and traditions inspired by Islamic architecture. The building, which was used as the first major national assembly of Turkey, continued its function as the headquarters of the Republican People’s Party and the Faculty of Law, and in the context of celebrating the centenary of Ataturk’s birth, it was reopened to visitors on April 23, 1981 AD as the “Museum of the War of Liberation” or “Museum of the War of Independence” as a result of the restoration work. The presentation is by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Place address: Doğanbey Mah. Cumhuriyet Cad, Anafartalar, Ulus No:14, 06050 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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3- Republic Museum
Republic Museum – Turkey is a paradise of cultural and natural assets with universal values that are the common heritage of all mankind. Turkish cultural heritage, which is the most important brand of Turkey, is an attraction not only for Turkish people but also for visitors from abroad. The Republic Museum is one of the historical evidences of the culture of this great country, as it was built in 1923 AD to serve as a meeting place for the Republican People’s Party, and this place witnessed important events in the political history of Turkey, such as the realization of Ataturk’s principles and revolutions, the enactment of important laws, the signing of international agreements, and the transition to a pluralistic system. partisanship. When you visit this place, you will see a complete history reflected in the pictures, furniture, meeting rooms and conventions that have been preserved in special and distinctive ways.
Place address: Doğanbey, Cumhuriyet Cd. No:7, 06050 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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4- Turkish History Museum and Park
Turkish History Museum and Park – At the Turkish History Museum and Park, you will travel on a journey through time, passing the Khans and women of Göktürk, Seljuk sultans, Ottoman sultans, leaders of the War of Independence, great Turkish thinkers, thinkers representing the Turkish republics, republican scholars, poets, writers and artists. Here, statues, paintings, and collectibles are the most ancient in the country, and you will see statues of the great Ataturk, and paintings of independence in a vast square that includes two internal and external sections.
Place address: Bağlıca, Çambayırı Cd. No:89, 06790 Etimesgut/Ankara, Turkey
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5- Ataturk & Independence War Museum
Ataturk & Independence War Museum – Ataturk Museum and the War of Independence, which was inaugurated on June 21, 1960 AD; It is located under the Hall of Honor where Ataturk’s mausoleum is located in Anitkabir. From 1960 AD to November 2001 AD, it served as the Ataturk Museum only, however, it was expanded in 2001 AD, to become a museum of the War of Independence, and the Ataturk Museum and the War of Independence itself appears in four different sections, in the first part, Ataturk’s personal belongings are included, and in the second part In the second, documents and information about the decisive war are presented, and in the third part, there are detailed information about the Battle of Sakarya and the Great Offensive, and in the last section, the introduction to Atatürk’s reforms and the vaulted corridor draws attention with distinctive Islamic decorations and architecture.
Place address: Maltepe, Anıt Cd., 06570 Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey
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6- Presidential Atatürk Museum Pavilion
Presidential Atatürk Museum Pavilion – Who would have thought that this wing of the Atatürk Presidential Museum, which was built at the end of the 19th century in the village of Cankaya in Ankara, would be a witness to the history of the great? In the year 1921 AD, the residents of the city of Ankara bought this house and presented it to Ataturk in the name of the people of Ankara. Ataturk accepted this gift on the condition that it be transferred to the army and called it the “Army Wing”, which is a historical building that was used as the first presidential palace of the Turkish Republic until the new presidential palace that It was built in June 1932 AD, and it consists of two floors, and it has witnessed many restoration operations throughout the ages. And when you set your feet in the courtyard of the entrance to this humble house, you will find yourself in the year 1920 AD, and you will see the traces of Ataturk on the furniture, and in every corner you will have an expected feeling that he will suddenly come out of one of the doors, and with the excitement that you feel as if you are living in those days, the entire building will settle. In your mind.
Place address: TR, 06, Çankaya, Ziaur Rahman Cd., 06690 Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey
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7- Türkpusat Traditional War Purses Museum
Türkpusat Traditional War Purses Museum – The Turkbusat Museum of Traditional War Carriers presents authentic military and war collections that were kept during different periods of the country’s wars, which aims to enable its visitors to experience, touch and feel history. The museum also aims to display traditional holdings used by the Turks, and it is possible to obtain information Historical and technical about the intricacies of the Turkish art of war, especially archery, where arrowheads, bows, range and war arrows, swords, daggers, shields, axes, spears, shields, stalkers and trenches are displayed. This museum provides its visitors with the opportunity to learn about the stages of production and methods of using these materials.
Place address: Kale, Gözcü Sk. No:9, 06250, 06250 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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8- Mehmet Akif Ersoy Home Museum
Mehmet Akif Ersoy Home Museum – The Mehmet Akif Ersoy House Museum is located in the Cankaya district of Ankara, and it is the house in which Mehmet Akif Ersoy resided during the years of the Turkish War of Independence, and then it was converted into a museum that includes many of his poems, especially the national anthem. Among the works displayed in the museum: the pocket watch, glasses, the rosary, the gun, and the mold of the face of the great poet Mehmet Shakif Ersoy in the museum house. In the outer garden of the house there are many stone memorials on which the most important sayings of the poet are engraved.
Place address: Hacettepe, Mehmet Akif Ersoy Sk. 9 C, 06230 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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9- Atatürk House
Atatürk House – Ataturk House is a historical archaeological museum in Ankara, which was the residence of President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk between 1921 AD and 1932 AD, during the early years of the Republic. It is a traditional building with a distinctive design consisting of three floors. It was restored in 1981 AD and repainted in the original pink color. It includes all the original home furnishings that Atatürk used throughout his life here. The ground floor consists of four rooms and on the first floor is the reception room, with European sofas and a large console table and chased brass, and a large sitting room, with low banquettes around the walls. One of the most impressive rooms on the second floor is the one in which Ataturk was born. It is a large room with a banquet, an office and a large fireplace. It faces another room in which some of Ataturk’s belongings are displayed. These include official clothes, smoking accessories, cutlery and cups, and all documents related to Ataturk’s days are suspended. On the walls, the pomegranate tree planted by Atatürk’s father still grows in the yard.
Place address: Beştepe, 06560 Yenimahalle/Ankara, Turkey
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10- Pink Mansion
Pink Mansion – The Pink Palace, one of the oldest houses in Ankara, witnessed many “firsts” in social and cultural life after Ankara became the capital. Here, meetings headed by Atatürk and revolutionary work were held, and the first ball for Ankara, the first concerts, exhibitions, scientific meetings, horseback riding tours and jumping competitions were held in this The house, and in its garden, for the first time in the city, experiments were carried out to grow flowers, trees and pine trees suitable for the climate of Ankara. When you visit this palace, you will go through a journey through the history of Turkey, and you will see old clothes, weapons, furniture, Atatürk’s library, and many items that will take you back to its great history.
Place address: Çankaya, Şht. Ersan Cd. No: 14, 06690 Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey
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11- PTT Stamp Museum
PTT Stamp Museum – Postage Stamp Museum PTT being a world-class cultural center in central Turkey, where world stamps starting from Ottoman Empire stamps, Anatolian government stamps, Republic of Turkey stamps and thematic stamps consisting of 7 different subjects are displayed in the building designed with modern museum concept and ending with modern era stamps and distinctive posters . In addition to the distinctive stamps, the museum displays historical seals and collectibles, such as the clothes of the sultans, their war shields, their wooden carts, and the tents that they used to inhabit during the wars.
Place address: Hacı Bayram, Atatürk Blv No:13, 06050 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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12- Ulucanlar Prison Museum
Ulucanlar Prison Museum – Ulucanlar Prison is the first prison built in the Republic of Turkey in 1925 AD, and it was closed in 2006 AD, and in June 2011, the prison reopened its doors, but this time with a completely different identity, as today it is considered a museum and a center for culture and arts that many visitors and locals flock to. The prison is unique in Ankara and provides an emotional and informative tour of the country’s ancient history.
Place address: Şükriye Mahallesi, Ulucanlar Prison Museum, Ulucanlar Cd. No:63, 06030 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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13- Ankara Foundation Museum
Ankara Foundation Museum – The Ankara Foundation Museum was built in 1927 AD, during the period called the First National Architecture Period (1908-1930 AD), which covers the early years of the Republic, and was used as a law school between the years (1928-1941 AD), and opened as the Ankara Foundation Works Museum in 2007 AD, It is one of the early examples with very simple facades without the use of traditional ornamentation and traditional architectural elements. Carpets, rugs, wood, metal, tiles, leather and manuscripts are displayed in the museum, and there are rare artifacts such as wood from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, manuscripts from the sixteenth century, tiles and carpets.
Place address: Anafartalar, Atatürk Blv No:23, 06050 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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14- Beypazarı History and Culture House
Beypazarı History and Culture House – The Beypazari Historical Museum is located in the Rustem Pasha School, which was built in 1928 AD. It is one of the distinguished museums in the city of Ankara, and it consists of three floors. In the museum, there are works that highlight the history of the Beypazari region, as well as various holdings from the early ages. The museum provides its visitors with the opportunity to closely examine the history of the region in 5 sections, namely the First, Ottoman and Seljuk eras, the Tanzimat period, the Republic period, and Baypazari today.
Place address: Cumhuriyet, Bulgurdede 5. Sk No:2, 06730 Beypazarı/Ankara, Turkey
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15- Erimtan Museum
Erimtan Museum – The Erimtan Museum is under the authority of the Turkish Ministry of Antiquities and Arts, and includes about two thousand moving works for recording and monitoring the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. The museum is located in the Ankara Citadel and began hosting its visitors in 2015. The museum takes you on a journey back to 3000 BC, as it houses a private archaeological collection, and you can also see artifacts from the Byzantine and Roman eras closely here.
Place address: Kale, Gözcü Sk. No:10, 06240 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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16- Alagoz Karargah Museum
Alagoz Karargah Museum – During the historical Sakarya War, the village of Alaguz was chosen as the headquarters of the region’s command by the Turkish armies, and the house in which the current museum is located was also designated as the presidential headquarters of the armed forces. This building, which was used by its owners until 1965 AD, was transferred first to the Ministry of National Education and then to the administration of the Atatürk Museum, after which it became one of the most important historical museums in the country, and it displays the armies’ equipment and clothes, and the stamps and seals of the army command, in addition to some distinctive pieces of furniture. .
Place address: Alagöz, Polatlı Merkez, 06909 Polatlı/Ankara, Turkey
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17- Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum
Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum – The Museum of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which was inaugurated on June 15, 2013 as a result of the dedicated work of the faculty of Gazi University of Turkish Folklore and the financial contributions of the Ankara Kalkina Agency, is the first museum in Turkey in its field. The museum preserves many cultural values through the activities it organizes from village plays, children’s plays, and the museum’s handicraft activities. Many cultural values such as folk tales, songs, stories, lullabies, traditional conversation meetings, henna night, and many others are revived, which reflects Turkey’s cultural history.
Place address: 8, Sakarya, 06230 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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18- Esztergom Castle Turkish Cultural Center
Esztergom Castle Turkish Cultural Center – The Turkish Cultural Center of Esztergom Castle was established in May 2005 AD, and it was named after the historical Esztergom Castle, which has an important place in Turkish history, and is located on the banks of the Danube River. The center is a place where Turkish history and culture are kept alive with the Ethnography Museum and Asian Gardens. The center was built by modeling the octagonal body of the Red Tower of Alanya Castle, and the octagonal columns were decorated with inspiration from the braids of the Seljuk sultans.
Place address: Güçlükaya Mh, Fatih Cd., 06280 Keçiören/Ankara, Turkey
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19- Golden Pavilion Museum
Golden Pavilion Museum – The Golden Pavilion Museum is one of the architectural rarities in the city of Ankara, which has managed to this day to maintain its unique beauty. It was built in 1996 AD, with a distinctive external structure made of a rare type of tree called “red wood” that was brought from America and grown for 500 years. The architecture of the building consists of 1000 iconic shapes and motifs used inside and outside the architecture of Anatolia, as it was designed as a mixture From the rich cultural accumulation sampling 30 historical buildings in the country. Entering this place is like entering a magical spot from Wonderland, where the gilded ceilings, luxurious furniture, tall wooden columns, and chandeliers drop from the tall ceilings.
Place address: Beytepe, Bilkent Bahçe Konutları, 06800 Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey
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20- Ankara Maturation Institute 100th Anniversary Museum
Ankara Maturation Institute 100th Anniversary Museum – The Ankara Institute Centennial Museum was established in 1981, within the body of the Ankara Institute, on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of Atatürk, where the museum was established in order to preserve ethnographic artifacts that were about to be lost, transfer them to new generations and introduce Turkish culture and crafts to local and foreign guests. who visit the institute. The museum consists of three parts, and most of the works belong to the last period of the Ottoman Empire. In the first section are silverware and jewelry, in the second section are hand embroideries, and in the third section is the corner of honor where Ataturk’s pictures and the museum’s memory book are located.
Place address: 06230 41, Hacettepe, Atatürk Blv, 06430 Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey
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21- 75th Anniversary Republic Education Museum
75th Anniversary Republic Education Museum – The Republican Education Museum was opened in Ankara in 1988 by the Ministry of National Education. The Education Museum, which first started operating in Turkey, operates in a separate one-storey building in a large garden next to Atatürk High School, and displays educational items dating back to ancient times including books, notebooks, stamps, pens, ink, manuscripts and tests. Primary and secondary school students in Ankara and students studying in the teaching department of universities visit the museum every year to learn about the history of education in Turkey.
Place address: Korkutreis, Lale Sk. No:3, 06430 Çankaya/Ankara, Turkey
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22- Rahmi M Koc Museum
Rahmi M Koc Museum – Considered the first and only industrial museum in Ankara, this venue is dedicated to the history of transportation, industry, and communications, with additional exhibits on Ankara and the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Housed in an impressive building just before the entrance to Ankara Castle, the collection contains hundreds of items from miniatures to full-size boats and vehicles. The location is unparalleled, romantic, historic, and relaxing.
Place address: Kale, Rahmi M. Koc Museum Ankara, Depo Sokak No:1, 06230 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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23- Turkish Aeronautical Association Museum
Turkish Aeronautical Association Museum – The history of the Turkish Aviation Association Museum dates back to 2002, when the city government decided to create an introductory space that includes all the valuable information about the history of aviation in Turkey. The museum campus consists of 287 square meters of indoor space and 5,000 square meters of open space. The museum shows the development of the history of aviation in the world and in Turkey in particular in dedicated halls that include many documents and photographs that enrich the cultural content. The museum also displays the uniforms, medals and insignia used by the Turkish Aviation Association. Finally, after completing this special tour, visitors are provided with the opportunity to inspect the helicopter pilot’s cabin, which is displayed in the museum’s garden, and to experience jumping from the historic tower under the supervision of parachuting instructors.
Place address: Anafartalar, 06050 Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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24- Anadolu Medeniyetleri Muzesi
Anadolu Medeniyetleri Muzesi – This wonderful museum contains over 200,000 historical objects of which only a portion can be displayed at one time. Exhibits include early Bronze Age statues and Neolithic wall paintings. As we mentioned, the museum includes a large number of antiques, so many temporary exhibitions are held in order to display all sculptures and artifacts.
Place address: Kale, Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Gözcü Sk. No:2, 06240 Ulus/Altındağ/Ankara, Turkey
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Conclusion
We hope our guide has inspired you to explore the unique and fascinating region of Ankara (Turkey) . From its stunning natural wonders to its rich cultural heritage, Ankara (Turkey) is a destination that promises to leave you awe-inspired and enriched. We encourage you to take your time and immerse yourself in the local culture, learn about the history and traditions of the region, and connect with the people who call it home. Remember that every journey is a personal one, and your experience in Ankara (Turkey) will be different from anyone else’s. So, don’t be afraid to follow your instincts, take a detour, and explore the unknown. As you journey through Ankara (Turkey) , we invite you to embrace the unexpected and discover the hidden treasures that await. We hope that our guide has been a valuable resource in planning your trip, and we look forward to hearing about your travels. Safe travels, happy exploring, and until next time!