Eskişehir ETİ Archaeology Museum

The Eskişehir ETİ Archaeology Museum is recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as Türkiye’s first museum realized by the private sector, from project design to exhibition implementation. The museum stands as a successful example of public–private cooperation in the preservation and presentation of cultural heritage.

Architectural Structure & Facilities

Construction of the museum complex was completed in 2010, with the administrative building put into service the same year. Built on a site of approximately 1,300 m², the museum consists of three separate blocks with a total usable indoor area of 4,000 m².

• Administrative Block
• Basement: Conservation laboratory and photography studio
• Ground floor: Cafeteria
• 1st & 2nd floors: Library and administrative offices
• B Block
• Ground floor: Exhibition hall, conference and multi-purpose event space
• Basement: Storage areas
• 1st floor: Archaeological exhibition galleries
• C Block
• Ground floor: Semi-open exhibition and temporary exhibition hall
• Basement: Storage areas
• 1st floor: Archaeological exhibition galleries

The museum garden features the display of immovable stone artifacts.

Historical Background

The foundations of museum activities in Eskişehir date back to 1945, when movable cultural assets collected from the city and surrounding districts were stored in a depot museum at Alaeddin Mosque.
In 1966, the Eskişehir Museum Directorate was officially established at the Kurşunlu Mosque Complex in the Odunpazarı district and opened to the public.
In 1974, museum activities continued in a new building on Atatürk Boulevard in the Akarbaşı neighborhood.

Due to spatial limitations and the need for a modern museum concept, the museum was closed to visitors in 2001. Following a protocol signed on 28 February 2007 between the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the ETİ Companies Group, the construction of the new museum building was sponsored by ETİ.

The Eskişehir ETİ Archaeology Museum was officially opened to the public on 28 May 2011 by the President of the Republic of Türkiye.

Collections & Exhibitions

The museum’s collection consists of artifacts acquired through purchase, donation, and confiscation, as well as findings obtained mainly from archaeological excavations and surface surveys conducted at ancient sites across Eskişehir.

The exhibition focuses particularly on significant archaeological sites such as:

• Dorylaion (Şarhöyük – Tepebaşı)
• Pessinus (Ballıhisar – Sivrihisar)
• Han Underground City (Yazılıkaya – Han)
• Keçiçayırı (Bardakçı – Seyitgazi)
• Çavlum Old Hittite Necropolis (Odunpazarı – Çavlum)
• Demircihöyük (Çukurhisar – Tepebaşı)
• Karacahisar (Odunpazarı – Karacaşehir)
• Küllüoba (Yenikent – Seyitgazi)

Artifacts are displayed chronologically, accompanied by key archaeological findings.

Highlights of the Collection

Exhibited works include:

• Marble statues and figurines
• Architectural fragments and stelae
• Terracotta daily-use vessels and idols
• Glass vessels and beads
• Metal containers, weapons, and tools
• Jewelry and coins

The museum houses approximately 22,500 movable cultural assets, representing periods from the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Hittite, Phrygian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman eras.

Of these, around 2,000 artifacts are displayed in 1,800 m² of exhibition space, while the remaining 20,500 artifacts are carefully preserved in 900 m² of museum storage areas.