Çankırı Museum

Çankırı Museum

The origins of Çankırı Museum date back to 9 June 1972, when a collection of 116 artifacts gathered from the region was first displayed on the ground floor of the Halkevi (Public Education Center). The museum continued its activities here until 1976. With the demolition of the Halkevi building to make way for the 100th Year Cultural Center, the museum was temporarily relocated to Çankırı High School, where one classroom served as storage and administrative offices.

After the completion of the Cultural Center, the museum reopened to visitors on 23 August 1981, occupying the second floor of the new building. However, as the collection grew steadily and the facilities became insufficient both physically and functionally, a need arose for a modern, sustainable, and culturally engaging museum building.

As part of this initiative, the former Government House (Eski Hükümet Konağı)—a notable structure from the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II—was restored and converted into the new Çankırı Museum, officially opening in 2017.

Today, the museum features 3,000 m² of indoor and 600 m² of outdoor exhibition space, presenting rich collections across its Archaeology, Ethnography, and Paleontology Halls.

Paleontology Hall – The Çorakyerler Fossil Site

The museum’s paleontological collection began with joint rescue excavations conducted by Ankara University and the Museum Directorate in 1997, revealing fossils of various prehistoric animals. Since 2001, the excavations have continued as a Ministry-approved project under the direction of Prof. Dr. Ayla Sevim Erol, focusing on the Çorakyerler Vertebrate Fossil Site, located approximately 5 km from the city center.

This remarkable locality, dated to 8–8.5 million years ago (Late Miocene) through magnetostratigraphic studies and faunal comparisons, is considered one of the most significant fossil sites in Türkiye and the world, both for its well-preserved specimens and its high species diversity.

Fossils uncovered here shed light on ancient life, migration routes, and the paleogeography of the region. The finds belong to the families Bovidae, Giraffidae, Suidae, Rhinocerotidae, Equidae, Proboscidea, Carnivora, Primates (tailless monkeys), Rodentia, and Gastropoda.

One of the highlights is the Saber-Toothed Cat fossil, unique to Türkiye as the only known specimen of its kind. Over 3,000 fossils discovered at the site are currently preserved in the museum. The Natural History Hall presents these finds through specimens, digital displays, dioramas, and extensive information panels.

Archaeology Hall

Located on the ground floor, the Archaeology Hall showcases artifacts from the Chalcolithic and Bronze Ages, as well as the Hittite, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods, arranged chronologically in dedicated sections. The hall also features liturgical objects from the Byzantine era and Christian heritage dated to the 18th–19th centuries.

Exhibits are displayed under thematic headings:

• Chalcolithic and Bronze Ages
• Hittite Civilization
• Hellenistic Period
• Roman Period
• Byzantine Period
• Coin Collection

A special thematic area in the central space is dedicated to the İnandık Vase, represented here with a high-quality replica alongside a model illustrating the excavation site at İnandık Höyük—one of the best-known artifacts in Anatolian archaeology.

The museum’s collection of ancient glass artifacts is among Türkiye’s most significant. The numismatic section spans a wide chronology beginning with Archaic Greek coins and continuing through Classical, Hellenistic, Roman (Republic, Imperial, Late Roman), and Byzantine coinage, as well as early Islamic coins from the Umayyad era and coins of Turkish-Islamic states.

Ethnography Hall

Located on the first floor, this section presents ethnographic objects reflecting the lifestyle, craftsmanship, and sociocultural traditions of Çankırı and its surroundings, dating from the Ottoman and Early Republican periods. Exhibits include:

• Traditional Kitchen and Utensils
• Turkish-Islamic Artifacts
• Weaving and Textiles
• Traditional Clothing
• Yaran Culture
• Mevlevi Heritage
• Weaponry
• Medicine and Healing Traditions
• Lighting Devices
• Measuring Instruments
• The İstiklal (Independence) Road

Yaran Culture

Rooted in Ahi traditions, Yaran gatherings embody virtues such as brotherhood, honesty, generosity, humility, and discipline. These sociocultural assemblies, still practiced in Çankırı and its villages, are introduced through an immersive diorama in the museum.

The Serpent-Wrapped Chalice Statue

This sculpture, featuring the ancient healing symbol of a serpent entwined around a cup, is displayed in this hall. It originally belonged to the Çankırı Darüşşifası, a medical complex built in 1235 by Cemaleddin Ferruh, an atabeg of Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubat. The exhibit also includes information on şifa tasları (healing bowls) traditionally used for protection against illness and the evil eye.