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The Bergama Museum (Bergama Müzesi) is an archaeological and ethnographic museum in Bergama, Turkey.
History
The Bergama Museum can trace its origins back to 1886, when a small museum was built in the garden of the excavation house at the Pergamon Acropolis. In 1924, several artifacts were transferred to a community center in the city center to be exhibited. In 1932, Marshall Fevzi Çakmak (1876-1950) visited the city and ordered officials to establish a museum. The Bergama Museum opened on October 30, 1936.
Visiting
The Bergama Museum is open daily from 8:30am to 7pm. Admission is 60₺ (as of September 2023). It’s located in the city center a few blocks south of Republic Square.
Ethnographic Section
First is the ethnographic section. The collection features items representing the social and cultural history of Bergama and the region. Clothing from the Yörük, Türkmen, and Çepni tribes, as well as bridal and traditional clothing, are on display. Also included is clothing worn by Zeybek warrior Tuzcu Efe during the Turkish War of Independence.
The carpet weaving tradition of Bergama, which dates back to the 11th century, is also covered. Bergama carpets are regarded as some of the finest in Anatolia. Many of the 70 to 80 villages in the Bergama region take part in the tradition.
Other items included in the ethnographic section are incense burners and candlesticks, jewelry and accessories, weapons, and calligraphy sets.
Archaeological Section
The archaeological section at the Bergama Museum includes several finds from ancient Pergamon, especially the Acropolis.
The most important artifacts, such as the Altar of Zeus, were shipped off to Berlin in 1870 to be displayed in the Pergamon Museum, but enough was left to display at the Bergama Museum.
Other artifacts are from the Asclepeion as well as the ancient Greek cities of Pitane, Grynion, and Myrina, which are also in the region. Pitane was near the modern town of Çandarlı while Grynion and Myrina were both near Aliağa.
Garden
Finally, in the garden outside the museum, is a collection of Ottoman tombstones and sarcophagi.
