Miletus Museum hosts the historical riches of Aydin
The Ancient City of Miletus, located within the borders of Didim district of Aydın province, near Balat Village, constitutes an important part of the historical and cultural heritage of the region.
Miletus Museum, located in this magnificent ancient city, offers its visitors the historical depth of Aydın and Anatolia with its rich archaeological findings. Our museum had to be closed due to concerns about the safety of life and property, as the static structure of its first building, which was opened in 1973, deteriorated over time. However, this did not prevent access to the historical riches in the region. As a result of the reconstruction efforts, a modern museum building covering a large area of 1200 square meters was built and opened to visitors in 2011.
New Miletus Museum consists of two main sections: garden exhibition and indoor exhibition. In the garden display, open-air works such as lion statues, inscriptions, grave steles, sarcophagi and architectural pieces, which are the symbol of the city of Miletus, are exhibited. In the indoor display, finds from the Ancient City of Miletus, the Ancient City of Priene and the Temple of Apollo at Didim can be seen in an area of 600 square meters inside the Museum's administrative building.
In the Miletus Ancient City section, there are finds from various periods, from the Minoan Period kitchen to the Zeytintepe Archaic Aphrodite Sanctuary, as well as Gacartepe Tomb finds. Sacred road finds from the Didim Temple of Apollo and items presented as votive offerings to the temple are also exhibited here.
The Priene Ancient City section attracts attention with the rich houses of Priene, known as the Pompeii of Anatolia, and coins, ornaments, glass scent bottles, bronze items, figures and terracotta works from various periods. Additionally, grave stelae and unfinished sculpture groups from the Archaic period are also presented to visitors.
Miletus Museum serves as an exemplary museum technically, visually and scientifically. It is waiting for history and culture enthusiasts to take them on a journey to the historical depths of Aydın and Anatolia.