Aksaray Museum

Located at the gateway to the Cappadocia Region, Aksaray’s museum tradition began in 1969 within the historic Zinciriye Madrasah in the city center. The Aksaray Museum was relocated to its current site in 2006 and reopened in 2014 following a comprehensive redesign that introduced a fully chronological exhibition layout.

Covering 10,200 m² of open space and 2,400 m² of indoor exhibition area, the three-story museum building draws inspiration from Anatolian Seljuk mausoleums and the region’s iconic fairy chimneys, reflecting an eclectic architectural style unique to Aksaray.

The museum’s collection consists of 15,639 artifacts acquired through purchases, donations, and archaeological excavations conducted across the province. Among these are 166 seals and 2 fossil remains, contributing to a total of 6,432 exhibited items.

The museum features dedicated halls that showcase the region’s rich cultural and archaeological heritage, including artifacts from Aşıklı Höyük, Musular, Güvercinkayası, Gelveri, Acemhöyük, and the Mummies Hall, as well as sections displaying ethnographic items. The chronological galleries continue with works dating to the Iron Age, Hellenistic Period, Roman, Eastern Roman (Byzantine), and Anatolian Seljuk eras.

With its diverse and scientifically significant collection, the Aksaray Museum offers visitors a comprehensive view of the civilizations that shaped the cultural landscape of Cappadocia and Central Anatolia.