Kütahya Archaeological Museum

Kütahya Museum

Kütahya Museum is an archaeology museum located in the city of Kütahya, Turkey. Established in 1965, the museum is housed in the historic Vacidiye Madrasa, a notable medieval educational building situated next to the Kütahya Grand Mosque (Ulu Cami).

History of the Building

The Vacidiye Madrasa was constructed in 1314 by Umur bin Savcı, one of the rulers of the Germiyanid Principality. As archaeological finds collected in the region increased over time, the building was repurposed as the Kütahya Museum in 1965.

Following a period of restoration, the museum was reopened to visitors on 5 March 1999.

Architectural Layout

The museum building consists of a domed central hall, surrounded by nine small rooms, each opening onto the main space. This traditional layout reflects the original madrasa architecture and provides an atmospheric setting for the exhibition of artifacts.

Collection

The museum’s collection offers a comprehensive overview of the region’s long and rich history. Artifacts on display span a wide chronological range, from Prehistoric periods to the Ottoman era, including:

• Paleolithic
• Chalcolithic
• Early Bronze Age
• Hittite
• Phrygian
• Hellenistic
• Roman
• Byzantine
• Seljuk
• Ottoman periods

Distinctive examples of Seljuk art can be clearly observed throughout the museum.

Among the most significant artifacts are Late Chalcolithic painted ceramics from Hacılar (Burdur), as well as various fossils, Early Bronze Age, and Phrygian finds. The collection also includes Phrygian toys, figurines of the Mother Goddess Kybele, priests, satyrs, and Hecate statues, which attract particular attention from visitors.

Additionally, the museum displays Hellenistic and Roman ceramics, oil lamps, and glassware. One of the most valuable objects in the collection is the Amazon Sarcophagus, regarded as a highlight of the museum.

Artifacts uncovered during rescue excavations at Seyit Ömer Höyük, such as storage jars, bone tools, and roof tiles, occupy an important place in the exhibition. Likewise, Hittite-period finds from the Ağızören rescue excavations, conducted by the museum, are among the notable pieces.

The collection is further enriched by Roman-period grave stelae and marble ossuaries (ostotheks) used for storing cremated remains during the Roman Imperial Period, which are considered among the museum’s most significant archaeological finds.