Akhisar Museum
{{Infobox museum
| name = Akhisar Museum
| native_name = Akhisar Müzesi
| native_name_lang = Turkish
| image = Akhisar Museum Outer Gate.jpg
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| map_caption = Akhisar Museum
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| coordinates = {{coord|38|55|13|N|27|50|14|E|region:TR_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
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| established = {{start date and age|2012}}
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| type = Archaeology -Ethnography
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| owner = Ministry of Culture
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Akhisar Museum, is an archaeology and ethnography museum located in Akhisar. Situated next to the Thyatira archaeological site and operating under the Manisa Museum Directorate, the museum was opened to visitors in 2012.
The museum is housed in a building originally constructed in 1932 as a hospital. Over the years, the building served as a school and a teacher's house before undergoing restoration to be converted into a museum. With a 650 m² indoor exhibition space, the museum’s collection comprises a total of 689 artifacts. The exhibits include items discovered in and around Akhisar, featuring archaeological artifacts from the Hellenistic period, Ancient Rome, and Byzantine periods, as well as ethnographic objects reflecting the Ottoman and Republican eras.
The museum is divided into two main sections: archaeology and ethnography. In the Archaeology Section, notable displays include Thyatira coins, gold objects from the Lydia period, ceramics from the Yortan culture, and the Gökçeler relief.{{cite journal |last1=Çevirici-Coşkun |first1=Figen |title=An Anatolian-Persian tomb relief from Gökçeler in Lydia |journal=Anatolian Studies |date=2018 |volume=68 |pages=119–130 |doi=10.1017/S0066154618000054|s2cid=165412337 }} The Ethnography Section showcases traditional life in Akhisar through exhibits such as hand-embroidered items, clothing, objects related to carpet weaving, and seals. Additionally, the Arasta Section within the ethnography area highlights traditional local occupations such as tobacco production, felt-making, carriage-making, and saddlery, along with objects associated with these crafts.
Museum building
The building of the Akhisar Museum, affiliated with the Manisa Museum Directorate, has served various functions in the past and provided diverse services to the city. The structure was originally constructed in 1932 by Ayşe Aloğlu as a two-story hospital to commemorate her son, Ali Şefik, who died young from illness. Named "Ali Şefik Hospital," the building was repurposed as a school and allocated to the Ministry of National Education at the request of local authorities, with Ayşe Aloğlu’s approval.{{cite news |last=Kuzucuk |first=Mustafa |title=Who is Ali Şefik? |url=https://www.akhisarhaber.com/ali-sefik-kimdir-akhisar-ali-sefik-hayati-43025h.htm |access-date=5 December 2024 |publisher=Akhisar Haber |date=4 September 2019}} It functioned as Ali Şefik Middle School until 1992, after which it was renovated and reopened in 1994 as Ali Şefik Teachers' Residence.{{cite news |url=https://www.gundemakhisar.com/haber/ogretmenlerin-seminer-konusu-akhisar-muzesi-334.html |title=Teachers’ Seminar Topic: “Akhisar Museum” |access-date=6 December 2024 |archive-date=7 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207031914/https://www.gundemakhisar.com/haber/ogretmenlerin-seminer-konusu-akhisar-muzesi-334.html |date=25 June 2019 |url-status=live |publisher=Gündem Akhisar |last=Kollu |first=Süleyman}}
In 2005, the closure of the teacher's house and its reassignment for another purpose came under consideration, sparking debates in the city.{{cite news |title=Attempt to Close the Teachers' Residence in Akhisar |url=https://www.birgun.net/haber/akhisar-da-ogretmenevini-kapatma-girisimi-25474 |access-date=5 December 2024 |work=BirGün |date=28 December 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207044929/https://www.birgun.net/haber/akhisar-da-ogretmenevini-kapatma-girisimi-25474 |archive-date=7 December 2024 |url-status=live}} In particular, the Akhisar Branch of Eğitim Sen criticized the decision, alleging political motives behind the closure, and organized protests with participation from Akhisar residents.{{cite news |title=The Teachers' Residence Belongs to Us |url=https://www.evrensel.net/haber/167794/ogretmenevi-bizimdir |access-date=5 December 2024 |work=Evrensel |date=11 December 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917041709/https://www.evrensel.net/haber/167794/ogretmenevi-bizimdir |archive-date=17 September 2016 |url-status=live}} In response to the backlash, authorities announced that the building would be converted into a museum, contributing to the city’s cultural heritage. However, these statements failed to fully resolve the debates surrounding the reasons for the closure.{{cite news |title=Teachers Protest Against Teachers' Residence Closure |url=https://www.evrensel.net/haber/243871/ogretmenlerden-ogretmenevi-protestosu |access-date=5 December 2024 |work=Evrensel |date=27 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160928011725/https://www.evrensel.net/haber/243871/ogretmenlerden-ogretmenevi-protestosu |archive-date=28 September 2016 |url-status=live}} Amid these discussions, the building ceased functioning as a teachers' residence in 2007.{{cite news |url=https://www.evrensel.net/haber/241510/akhisar-ogretmenevi-kapatildi |title=Akhisar Teachers' Residence Closed |access-date=5 December 2024 |archive-date=25 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925111341/https://www.evrensel.net/haber/241510/akhisar-ogretmenevi-kapatildi |date=6 July 2007 |url-status=live |work=Evrensel}}
History
=Background=
{{Double image stack|right|General View of Akhisar Museum 1.jpg|Akhisar Museum Storage and Backyard.jpg|180|View of the museum from the front. The two-story administrative building is visible in the background.|A view from the museum’s backyard. The museum’s storage area and artifacts in the garden are visible on the left.}}
Archaeological artifacts uncovered during excavations in and around Akhisar were stored in depots due to the insufficient capacity of the Archaeological Museum of Manisa. Ongoing excavations in the region, expected to continue in the long term, increased the need for exhibition and storage space for new finds.{{cite journal |last=Yıldız |first=Volkan |title=A Group of Hellenistic Ceramics from the Akhisar Archaeological Museum |url=https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/630372 |journal=Selçuk University Faculty of Letters Journal |date=24 December 2018 |issue=40 |page=222 |doi=10.21497/sefad.515329 |publisher=Selçuk University Faculty of Letters |issn=2458-908X}}{{cite web |last=Öz |first=Kefayettin |title=Akhisar Museum |url=https://aktuelarkeoloji.com.tr/kategori/kulturel-miras/akhisar-muzesi |publisher=Aktüel Arkeoloji |access-date=5 December 2024 |date=5 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812071029/https://aktuelarkeoloji.com.tr/kategori/kulturel-miras/akhisar-muzesi |archive-date=12 August 2020 |url-status=live}} Furthermore, Akhisar’s location at the intersection of tourism routes such as Istanbul-İzmir and Bergama-Denizli, along with the presence of Thyatira, highlighted the need for a museum in the city. In response to these needs, efforts to establish a museum were initiated under the leadership of Kefayettin Öz, then Chairman of the Manisa Provincial General Assembly Culture and Tourism Commission. On 4 September 2006, a site allocation was made, and it was decided to construct the museum in an area then used as a teachers' residence.{{cite news |last=Molla |first=Kenan |title=Akhisar Museum Opened by Culture Minister Günay |url=https://www.akhisarhaber.com/akhisar-muzesi-kultur-bakani-gunay-tarafindan-acildi-12791h.htm |access-date=5 December 2024 |publisher=Akhisar Haber |date=7 August 2012 |location=Akhisar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207150455/https://www.akhisarhaber.com/akhisar-muzesi-kultur-bakani-gunay-tarafindan-acildi-12791h.htm |archive-date=7 December 2024 |url-status=live}}
=Repurposing as a Museum=
The tender process for the necessary survey, restoration, and repair work to convert the building into a museum began in 2007. In March 2007, feasibility studies for the construction project were conducted. The remaining budget shortfall was covered by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, with the total budget announced as ₺2.1 million.{{cite news |url=https://www.akhisarhaber.com/akhisar-muze-calismalari-resmen-basladi-1110h.htm |title=Akhisar Museum Work Officially Begins! |access-date=6 December 2024 |archive-date=7 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207035734/https://www.akhisarhaber.com/akhisar-muze-calismalari-resmen-basladi-1110h.htm |date=20 March 2007 |url-status=live |publisher=Akhisar Haber |last=Özalp |first=Akif}}
Since the museum building is located within a designated heritage site, the planning and permitting processes were lengthy. During this period, survey and restoration plans for the building were prepared. However, once restoration work began, it became evident that the building’s current condition did not align with the project plans.{{cite news |url=https://www.akhisarhaber.com/akhisar-muze-insaati-yeniden-basliyor-2433h.htm |title=Akhisar Museum Construction Resumes! |access-date=6 December 2024 |archive-date=7 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207062259/https://www.akhisarhaber.com/akhisar-muze-insaati-yeniden-basliyor-2433h.htm |date=4 January 2008 |url-status=live |publisher=Akhisar Haber}} After removing the plaster from the building’s exterior, it was discovered that changes over time had rendered the existing project plans inadequate. Technical experts prepared a report confirming that the building, in its current state, did not meet the project requirements. This necessitated the submission and approval of new plans to the preservation boards.
Changes to the project, the need to renew the tender, and interventions such as the demolition of the building’s second floor caused delays and further prolonged the restoration process. Initially slated for completion by the end of 2007, the structure was completed after a six-year process at a cost of ₺1,537,897.{{cite news |url=https://www.akhisarhaberleri.com/mobil/akhisar-muzesi-kultur-bakani-gunay-tarafindan-acildi-h3086.html |title=Akhisar Museum Opened by Culture Minister Günay |access-date=5 December 2024 |agency=Metronom News Agency |archive-date=7 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207234420/https://www.akhisarhaberleri.com/mobil/akhisar-muzesi-kultur-bakani-gunay-tarafindan-acildi-h3086.html |date=6 August 2012 |url-status=live |publisher=Akhisar Haberleri}} Following the completion of the work, the museum opened to the public on 18 May 2012 and was officially inaugurated on 6 August 2012 with the participation of Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay.{{cite news |title=Akhisar Museum Opened with Minister Günay’s Participation |url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/akhisar-muzesi-bakan-gunay-in-katilimiyla-acildi-21169591 |access-date=11 June 2017 |work=Hürriyet |date=7 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922041002/http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/akhisar-muzesi-bakan-gunay-in-katilimiyla-acildi-21169591 |archive-date=22 September 2016 |url-status=live}}
Museum Layout
The museum, constructed as independent units within a garden, comprises a complex that includes the museum building, an administrative building, and a storage facility. Designed with a rectangular plan and a single-story structure, the museum building offers a total enclosed exhibition space of 650 m2. The museum is divided into two main sections: archaeology and ethnography. Within the ethnography section, there is a subsection called Arasta that displays traditional crafts still practiced in Akhisar. Additionally, the museum garden features a 1,250-square-meter open exhibition area, allowing visitors to experience historical artifacts outdoors.{{cite web |url=https://turkiyeturizmansiklopedisi.com/akhisar-arkeoloji-muzesi |title=Akhisar Archaeological Museum |access-date=18 August 2024 |archive-date=18 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818194522/https://turkiyeturizmansiklopedisi.com/akhisar-arkeoloji-muzesi |date=2019 |url-status=live |work=Turkey Tourism Encyclopedia |last1=Yıldız |first1=Volkan}}
Collection
File:Gokceler relief top.jpg in the museum's collection]]
The artifacts exhibited in the Akhisar Archaeological Museum were gathered through various methods. Donations, purchases, and confiscations were among the primary approaches. Additionally, artifacts previously preserved at the Archaeological Museum of Manisa were transferred to the Akhisar Museum upon its establishment. Items unearthed from the ancient city of Thyatira and surrounding archaeological excavations form the core of the museum’s collection. In its opening year, the museum displayed 1,051 artifacts, while as of 2019, 689 artifacts are on exhibit.{{cite web |title=Akhisar Archaeology and Ethnography Museum Opened |url=http://www.manisa.gov.tr/akhisar-arkeoloji-ve-etnografya-m-zesi-a-ildi |publisher=Manisa Governorship |access-date=20 January 2020 |location=Manisa |date=7 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190908102314/http://www.manisa.gov.tr/akhisar-arkeoloji-ve-etnografya-m-zesi-a-ildi |archive-date=8 September 2019 |url-status=live}} These artifacts are presented to visitors in three distinct sections: archaeology, ethnography, and arasta.
=Archaeology section=
The archaeology section of the museum encompasses a timeline stretching from the Bronze Age to the Byzantine Empire, featuring artifacts that reflect the historical and cultural diversity of the region. Fossil samples, dated to approximately 18–11 million years ago, excavated from the coal mines of Soma and added to the museum’s inventory, are also displayed in this section.
Among the early period finds, marble idols and examples of stone craftsmanship from the Kulaksızlar region, dating to the Chalcolithic Age, stand out. Ceramics from the Yortan culture, uncovered during excavations conducted in the early 1900s by Paul Gaudin in the village of Bostancı (formerly known as Yortan) near Akhisar, are also significant pieces in the collection. Gold and silver artifacts from the Lydian period, unearthed from tumulus excavations, as well as five Attica lekythoi dated to the 5th and 4th centuries BCE—two featuring mythological scenes and three adorned with palmette motifs—are exhibited in this section.{{cite journal |last1=Korkmaz |first1=Zafer |last2=Yıldız |first2=Volkan |title=Attic Lekythoi from Lydian Territory in the Inventory of Akhisar Archaeological Museum |journal=OANNES - International Journal of Ancient History |date=29 March 2023 |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=303–314 |doi=10.33469/oannes.1236187 |url=https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/2895955 |access-date=1 February 2025 |language=English |issn=2667-7059}}{{cite news |url=http://www.aktuelarkeoloji.com.tr/?/=1248 |title=Akhisar Museum |access-date=22 June 2017 |archive-date=25 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190725210444/http://www.aktuelarkeoloji.com.tr/?%2F=1248 |url-status=dead |work=Aktüel Arkeoloji}} A gold sheep figurine found in the village of Gökçeler, along with the Gökçeler relief, known as the "Young Man Relief" and dated to the Archaic period, discovered in the same area, are among the standout pieces of the exhibit.{{cite journal |last=Çevirici-Coşkun |first=Figen |title=An Anatolian-Persian tomb relief from Gökçeler in Lydia |journal=Anatolian Studies |date=2018 |volume=68 |pages=119–130 |doi=10.1017/S0066154618000054 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/anatolian-studies/article/abs/an-anatolianpersian-tomb-relief-from-gokceler-in-lydia/45DEF1B2282D3C7E608D044D562EF436 |access-date=15 August 2024 |language=English |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240619054416/https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/anatolian-studies/article/abs/an-anatolianpersian-tomb-relief-from-gokceler-in-lydia/45DEF1B2282D3C7E608D044D562EF436 |archive-date=19 June 2024 |url-status=live}}
Roman-period ceramics, glass vessels from the Roman and Byzantine periods, unguentaria, metal artifacts, ossuaries, and jewelry displayed in this section reflect the production techniques and aesthetic sensibilities of these eras.{{cite journal |last=Yıldız |first=Volkan |title=A Group of Roman Ceramics from the Akhisar Archaeological Museum |journal=Celal Bayar University Journal of Social Sciences |date=2016 |volume=14 |issue=3 |pages=255–276 |doi=10.18026/cbusos.50121 |url=https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/229287 |publisher=Manisa Celal Bayar University |issn=1304-4796}}{{cite journal |last=Yıldız |first=Volkan |title=Unguentaria in the Akhisar Archaeological Museum |journal=Celal Bayar University Journal of Social Sciences |date=2016 |volume=14 |issue=1 |pages=1–24 |doi=10.18026/cbusos.35853 |url=https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/229298 |publisher=Manisa Celal Bayar University |location=Manisa |access-date=16 August 2024}}{{cite web |title=Manisa Akhisar Museum and Akhisar Tumuli |url=https://www.turkishmuseums.com/museum/detail/2143-manisa-akhisar-muzesi-ve-akhisar-tepe-mezarlari/2143/1 |publisher=Turkish Museums |access-date=6 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240525041323/https://turkishmuseums.com/museum/detail/2143-manisa-akhisar-muzesi-ve-akhisar-tepe-mezarlari/2143/1 |archive-date=25 May 2024 |url-status=live}} Also in this section, four inscriptions from Ancient Rome, used for honorific purposes and as funerary stelae, are displayed.{{cite journal |last=Sargın |first=Yasemin |title=New Inscriptions from the Akhisar Museum |url=https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/1185522 |journal=Cedrus |date=1 June 2020 |volume=8 |pages=519–529 |doi=10.13113/CEDRUS.202025 |access-date=1 February 2025 |publisher=Akdeniz University |issn=2147-8058 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126070112/https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/1185522 |archive-date=26 January 2025 |url-status=live}} The museum’s inventory also includes terracotta figurines from the Classical Greek and Roman periods, as well as coins from the ancient settlement of Thyatira, spanning the Archaic period to the Ottoman era, all exhibited in this section.{{cite journal |last1=Yıldız |first1=Volkan |last2=Çakar |first2=Gözde |title=A Group of Terracotta Figurines from the Akhisar Archaeological Museum |journal=Celal Bayar University Journal of Social Sciences |date=31 March 2017 |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=397–430 |doi=10.18026/cbayarsos.298124 |url=https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/283779 |access-date=1 February 2025 |publisher=Manisa Celal Bayar University |issn=1304-4796 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126070110/https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/283779 |archive-date=26 January 2025 |url-status=live}}
File:Fossils, Akhisar Museum.jpg|Fossil samples dated to 18–11 million years ago
File:Hellenistic and Roman Period vessels, Akhisar Museum.jpg|Hellenistic and Roman Period vessels
File:Pottery from Yortan Culture, Akhisar Museum.jpg|Vessels from the Yortan Culture
File:Attica lekythoi, Akhisar Museum.jpg|Attica lekythoi with mythological scenes and palmette motifs
File:The figurines in the Akhisar Museum, 2025.jpg|Figurines from the Classical Greek and Roman periods
File:Unguentariums in Akhisar Museum.jpg|Unguentaria, also known as tear bottles
=Ethnography section=
The ethnography section encompasses historical and cultural artifacts spanning from the Seljuk and Ottoman periods to the early years of the Republic. This section features coin collections from the Seljuk and Ottoman eras. Additionally, an 18th-century Quran, various manuscripts from the Ottoman period, and imperial edicts of Ottoman sultans are displayed. Ceramic tiles adorned with calligraphic art are also part of this collection.
The section also includes seals from the Ottoman period belonging to the Akhisar Municipality. Çanakkale ceramics are among the exhibited items. Traditional men’s and women’s clothing, jewelry, carpet samples, and kaftans provide examples of the region’s cultural attire and woven products.
Daily-use items from past periods are also featured in this section. Glass bowls, plates, and pitchers are displayed among kitchenware. Objects related to coffee culture and bathhouse items form part of the collection. Traditional hand-embroidered works are included as examples of handicrafts.
Items used for lighting and defense purposes are also exhibited in this section. Ottoman-era oil lamps, pistols, rifles, and swords of various sizes make up the collection. These artifacts offer diverse examples of the lifestyle and tools used during their respective periods.{{cite news |title=Akhisar Museum Visitor Guide: What Should You See? |url=https://www.haberekspres.com.tr/akhisar-muzesi-ziyaret-rehberi-neler-gormelisiniz |access-date=8 January 2025 |work=Haber Ekspres |date=16 October 2024 |language=Turkish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250118110708/https://www.haberekspres.com.tr/akhisar-muzesi-ziyaret-rehberi-neler-gormelisiniz |archive-date=18 January 2025 |url-status=live}}
==Arasta==
The Arasta section, located within the ethnography section, is an area that showcases objects related to Akhisar’s historical and cultural heritage, reflecting the region’s trade and craft activities. This section displays items associated with tobacco cultivation, a significant livelihood in the 19th and 20th centuries, including bale-pressing crates, tobacco-threading needles, hoes, and spraying equipment.
The section also highlights traditional handicrafts and trades. Tools and equipment related to tinsmithing, saddlery, saddle-making, and the production of Akhisar-specific horse-drawn carriages and phaetons are exhibited. Additionally, a display case titled "Keçeci Orhan" (Feltmaker Orhan) is dedicated to Orhan Patoğlu, a local feltmaker from Akhisar. This display features felt items produced by Patoğlu, various shepherd’s cloaks, and the tools he used in their production.{{cite thesis |last=Eraydın |first=Özgecan |title=The Relationship Between Traditional Felt Art and Contemporary Art |date=1 January 2019 |pages=18–33 |url=https://www.academia.edu/40367711/Geleneksel_Ke%C3%A7e_Sanat%C4%B1_ve_%C3%87a%C4%9Fda%C5%9F_Sanat_%C4%B0li%C5%9Fkisi |access-date=8 January 2025 |publisher=Gazi University |location=Ankara |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240711013723/https://www.academia.edu/40367711/Geleneksel_Ke%C3%A7e_Sanat%C4%B1_ve_%C3%87a%C4%9Fda%C5%9F_Sanat_%C4%B0li%C5%9Fkisi |archive-date=11 July 2024 |url-status=live}} Objects and materials related to Akhisar’s guild and coffeehouse culture are also displayed in this section.
File:Hammam Supplies, Akhisar Museum.jpg|Hammam items
File:Carpets , Akhisar Museum.jpg|Carpets
File:Carpet loom, Akhisar Museum.jpg|Carpet weaving loom
File:Coffee Supplies, Akhisar Museum.jpg|Coffee-making items
File:Embroideries, Akhisar Museum.jpg|Hand-embroidered works
File:Felt-Making Display, Akhisar Museum.jpg|Orhan Patoğlu’s felt items on display in the museum
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Museums in Turkey}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Museums in Manisa Province
Category:2012 establishments in Turkey
Category:Museums established in 2012