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The Bursa Archaeological Museum (Bursa Arkeoloji Müzesi) has one of the richest collections of all the archaeology museums in Turkey.
History of the Bursa Archaeological Museum
The museum was established on September 1, 1904, with the efforts of Azmi Bey, as a branch of the Istanbul Archaeology Museums. It’s the third oldest museum of its kind in the country, and was originally housed in a section of the Bursa High School for Boys (Bursa İdadi-i Mülkîsi). The first catalog was prepared by French archaeologist Gustav Mandel. The museum was run by high school officials until 1929.
On April 8, 1930, the Bursa Archaeological Museum moved to the Green Madrasa, which was part of the Green Mosque complex in the Yeşil neighborhood. The Green Madrasa now houses the Bursa Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts. Turkish architect Ertem Yücel designed the current building, which opened to the public on July 15, 1972. The museum was closed for restoration between 2010 and 2013.
Today, the Bursa Archaeological Museum boasts a collection of over 60,000 artifacts, of which about 2,000 are exhibited. Most artifacts date from between 3000 BC to the end of the Byzantine period.
Visiting the Bursa Archaeological Museum
The Bursa Archaeological Museum is located at Reşat Oyal Culture Park. It’s open daily and admission is free (as of December 2023). All displays include information in Turkish and English.
Hall I
Hall I displays artifacts from the Miocene Epoch to the Phrygian Kingdom. They include items found within the Mustafakemalpaşa district, and finds from a cave in Şahinkaya dating back to the Middle Paleolithic Age.
Artifacts found during excavations in and around Bursa start with the Neolithic and Chalcolithic Ages. In later periods, the Assyrian, Hittite, Urartu, Phrygian, and other civilizations are represented. There’s also a recreation of the Aktopraklık Mound (Aktopraklık Höyüğü) with the skeleton of a 30 year old woman found inside.
Stone Artifacts Hall
Attached is the Stone Artifacts Hall, which includes items from the museum’s marble and stone collections. They include sculptures, sarcophagi, and grave steles dating back to the Hellenistic and Roman periods.
Two highlights of the collection are a bronze bust of Athena and a bronze statue of Apollo, both from the Roman period. They were found at Miletopolis (Μιλητούπολις), which is near modern Karacabey, and are exhibited in a replica of a megaron chamber.
Hall II
Hall II displays finds dating from the Archaic Age to the Byzantine period. Items are displayed chronologically, and many are from the Antandros Necropolis (Ἄντανδρος), near modern Edremit, and Miletopolis. Artifacts exhibited in this hall include Roman glass works and oil lamps, medical instruments, toys, metal items, pottery, and more.
The mezzanine level includes a fine coin collection spanning from 650 BC to 1453, representing the Archaic, Classic, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods. The coin collection was prepared in 2007 by Turkish-English archaeologist Recep Okçu.
Üç Pınar Tumulus Hall
The Üç Pınar Tumulus Hall includes a reconstructed tumulus dating back to the 6th century BC. It was built by the Achaemenids and includes the original finds. The tumulus was excavated in 1988 by the Bursa Archaeological Museum in conjunction with the Balıkesir Archeological Museum.
In addition to the tumulus, there’s a reconstruction of a chariot based on wheel parts and harnesses found at the entrance of the burial chamber.
Garden of the Bursa Archaeological Museum
The garden runs around the perimeter of the museum building. It displays a rich collection of stelae and other stone items.
