The Archaeological Museum in Izmir was first established in the Ayavukla (Gözlü) Church in the Basmane Kapılar District in 1924. It opened to visitors in 1927 after three years of collecting and compiling objects. In 1951, the museum relocated to the National Education Pavilion in Kültürpark. A new museum building was constructed in Bahribaba Park in Konak and opened in 1984 to accommodate the large number of artefacts brought to the museum from the ancient cities in and around Izmir. The Stone Works Hall displays large sculptures, busts, portraits, and masks made of marble and stone. The plastic artifacts in the museum belong to the Hellenistic (330-30 B.C) and Roman (30 B.C- 395 A.D.) periods. The Ord. Prof. Ekrem Akurgal Ceramic Works Hall, located on the top floor, displays numerous artifacts from various excavations, arranged in chronological order, from the Prehistoric Ages to the Byzantine period. Among the most intriguing works of the museum are the 'Bronze Running Athlete Statue' and the 'Bronze Demeter Statue' recovered from wrecks in the Aegean Sea. The 'Treasury Room', located on the same floor as the bronze statues, displays coins and ornaments from various historical periods, including Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic. Additionally, the room showcases glassware from the Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods. In the museum's garden, visitors can view statues recovered from various excavations, as well as a section dedicated to the exhibition of sarcophagi, steles, inscriptions, and other architectural pieces.
İZMİR ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUMS
