Mardin Museum

Mardin Museum is located among a group of Assyrian houses in Mardin Central Şar District, north of 1st Avenue Cumhuriyet Square. The museum hosts rich archaeological and ethnographic collections that reflect the historical and cultural richness of the region.

Mardin Museum

Mardin Museum is located among a group of Assyrian houses in the Central Şar District of Mardin. The museum has rich archaeological and ethnographic collections reflecting the historical and cultural heritage of the region.

Its archaeological collection includes artifacts from the period from 4000 BC to the 7th century BC. These works include tablets, cylinder and stamp seals, cult vessels, figurines, metal knives, jewellery, ceramics, gold, belonging to the Old Bronze, Assyrian, Urartu, Greek, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Great Seljuk, Artuqid and Ottoman periods. There are silver and copper coins, tear bottles and oil lamps.

In the ethnography hall, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, anklets, pediments, headdresses, old clothes, swords, coffee sets, bath utensils, prayer beads, heating tools and copper items, which are outstanding examples of silver workmanship specific to Mardin and its surroundings, are exhibited.

Mardin Museum has gone beyond being just a place where historical artifacts are preserved and exhibited, and has become a museum that includes education, training and communication areas. The museum, which exhibits the history of the city with its archaeological past from the Paleolithic Age to the present day, continues its museum education activities with module programs and workshops.

In addition, it carries out archaeological excavations in ancient settlement areas such as Mardin Museum, Dara Ancient City, Nusaybin Mor Yakup Church, Mardin Castle, Cizre Citadel and Ilısu Dam HEPP Project and carries out various projects for the protection of cultural heritage. The museum contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage by informing the public with the slogan "Museums Can Change Lives".

Mardin Museum provides services with thematic exhibition halls, laboratories, educational areas and various activities renewed with a contemporary museology approach. The building, which was built as the Syriac Catholic Patriarchate by Antioch Patriarch Ignatios Behnam Banni in 1895, was restored and opened as a Museum in 2000.

Archaeological Excavations Hall

Mardin Museum has a hall where artifacts obtained from archaeological excavations carried out in the ancient settlements in Mardin center and surrounding areas are exhibited. This hall is dedicated to the presentation of artifacts unearthed from various excavation sites.

In this area, excavations carried out within the scope of the Ilısu Dam Project (Boncuklu Tarla, Havuz Mevki, Ilısu Höyük, Kumru Tarlası, Zeviya Kavla, Tatika, Kilokki Rabiseki), Kerküşti excavation (Halaf Period), Nusaybin Girnavaz excavation (Assyrian Period), Dara excavation (Roman Period). ), Midyat Aktaş Mevki Necropolis excavation (Byzantine Period), Nusaybin Mor Yakup Church excavation (Roman-Artuklu Period), Mardin Castle excavation (Artuklu-Akkoyunlu-Ottoman Period) are exhibited. These works are exhibited to introduce visitors to the rich archaeological history of Mardin and its surroundings.

Faith Hall

The faith hall is an area where the belief systems born in the Mesopotamia region and the works of these systems are exhibited thematically. This hall focuses on various faiths and their cultural heritage.

In the faith hall, subjects such as ancient Mesopotamian mythology and ancient religions, Paganism, Christianity, Islamic faith and burial traditions, as well as fertility and magic rituals are emphasized. Within the framework of these themes, visitors are given information about how beliefs of different periods were experienced and expressed. These artifacts shed light on the rich belief and cultural history of Mesopotamia and offer visitors an interesting discovery experience.

Trade Hall

Under the trade theme, topics such as the origin of trade in Mesopotamia, the first means of payment, the invention of mathematics and writing, transportation, weaving, and the evolution of money are exhibited in conjunction with works that tell how the economic and commercial life of humanity has been shaped throughout history.

One of the striking displays in this hall is the section where the Continuous Hoard found in the rescue excavation in Kızıltepe Continuous (Çıldız) Village is exhibited. This treasure contains gold and silver artifacts belonging to many civilizations such as the Abbasids, Ilkhanids, Ayyubids, Byzantines, Zengid and Artuqids between the 9th and 14th centuries.

Living Hall

In this hall, he reflected the social life of Mardin and Mesopotamian culture with the themes of nutrition, decoration and defense. Under the theme of nutrition, the beginning of agriculture in Mesopotamia, the emergence of pottery and its development until today, as well as the food culture of Mardin, are explained through artifacts. In addition, examples of Mardin's traditional music and musical instruments are exhibited and the "Sounds of Mardin" film, prepared to introduce the intangible cultural heritage of Mardin, is presented to visitors.

Under the theme of adornment, jewellery, clothes and weaving samples produced by people from ancient times to the present for the purpose of admiration, social status and protection are exhibited and the traditions and culture of adornment in social life are explained. Additionally, emphasis is placed on the themes of health and illumination.

Under the theme of defense, ancient defense tools and weapons are exhibited along with the phenomenon of war.

Hall of Forgeries

In the last hall of this floor, fake objects used in smuggling and fraud are exhibited. This hall aims to raise awareness by drawing attention to the issues of historical artifact smuggling and counterfeit artifact fraud through museum education. This practice, which represents a first in Turkey, contributes to the public's awareness of counterfeit works and art smuggling.

Museum Administrative Building

It is located in the northwest of the museum building. This registered building reflects the traditional "Mardin house" architectural style of the 19th century. This L-planned building, facing south, with a courtyard and two floors, was restored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Governorship of Mardin and put into service in 2012. The Museum Administrative Building includes a private library, art gallery, conference hall, archive, expert rooms, traditional handicrafts workshop, photography room, prayer room and directorate units.

Museum Specialized Library

Founded in 2010, the library contains approximately 20 thousand resources, including 8 thousand books and digital publication archives. It offers a well-equipped service for researchers and students who will work in various fields such as Archaeology, History, Art History, Architecture, Philosophy and Mythology. The library, which has the widest range of resources for specialized areas in the region, is an important information center for researchers.

Museum Art Gallery

The Museum Art Gallery hosts more than 20 temporary exhibitions each year. While this venue serves as a versatile hall, it is also used as a conference and performance space for 150 people.

Restoration Conservation and Analysis Laboratories

Mardin Museum is located in the western areas and spreads over an area of 250 square meters. In this area, restoration and conservation operations are carried out for metal works such as silver, copper, bronze, iron and bronze, as well as all organic and inorganic portable cultural assets such as ceramics, stone, glass, mosaic, wood, paper, leather and textiles. The restoration and conservation of approximately 40 thousand works in the museum collection were completed in this laboratory. In addition, in the "Mardin Museum Analysis Laboratory", which is the first and only analysis laboratory established within the museum in Turkey, materials belonging to cultural assets are analyzed with precision and solution suggestions for restoration processes are offered.

More than 45 thousand artifacts in the Mardin Museum are protected in warehouses organized in accordance with modern museum standards. These repositories are designed to provide study opportunities for researchers and students. The museum serves not only as an exhibition venue but also as an institution that strives for the development of society and the betterment of everyone. As a people-centered institution that encourages public participation, respects differences, supports peace and tolerance, operates according to contemporary management principles, Mardin Museum aims to transfer a rich heritage from past to present to future generations.

Where is Mardin Museum, Entrance Fee?

Mardin Museum, also known as Mardin Archeology and Ethnography Museum, is located in the city center. You can visit every day of the week between 08:30 and 17:30. The entrance fee to Mardin Museum is 25 TL for 1 adult. Museum Card holders can visit for free.

While You're At It

When you visit the Mardin Museum, you will have the opportunity to see many historical places and museums to explore in Mardin and its surroundings. By visiting our Mardin Museums page, you can discover other historical places and museums in Mardin and add them to your route.