Turkey Guide
The Mediterranean coast and the Hatay
The Archeological Museum
Address: On the western edge of town at the far end of Kenan Evren Bulvarı
Opening time: Tues– Sun 8.30am–5.30pm
Price: 15YTL
The one thing you shouldn't miss while in Antalya is the city's Archeological Museum (Arkeoloji Müzesi). It's one of the top five archeological collections in the country, and it's well worth spending half a day there. To reach it from the city centre, take any dolmuş labelled "Müze" or "Liman" – departing from one of the "D" signs along Cumhuriyet Caddesi – or take the westbound tramway to its last stop, Müze.
Standing out among the early items are a cache of Bronze Age urn burials from near Elmalı, and finds from an unusually southerly Phrygian tumulus, with the trademark Phrygian griffin-head much in evidence. Ancient metalworking skills are also showcased in some fine silver plate, three superb belts and several silver and ivory Phrygian figurines sporting droll yet dignified expressions. All date from the eighth and seventh centuries BC and are among the museum's worthiest treasures.
It's quite a jump in time to the next galleries, which contain many second-century AD statues from Perge: a complete pantheon in unusually good condition has been assembled. In the building's corner hall, mosaics, including one depicting Thetis dunking Achilles in the Styx, are in fair to good condition but crudely executed; a gaming board nearby, recovered from Perge, is more unusual. The corner hall leads into a gallery dedicated to theatre friezes and statues from Perge. The all-over marble tiling doesn't show them off to their best advantage, but the display, which includes statues of gods and emperors and a frieze showing battles between heroes and sea monsters, is marvellous.
Besides the collections, there's a bookshop, a café and a pleasant shady garden scattered with some fine overspill sculptures and tombs. Crossing the road from the museum reveals wide views of Konyaaltı bay and a precarious path that leads down to Konyaaltı beach.