Sakarya Museum

Sakarya Museum (Sakarya Müzesi)

The Sakarya Museum is located in Semerciler Quarter, Milli Egemenlik Street, in the Adapazarı District of Sakarya, directly opposite the railway station. Including its garden, the museum occupies an area of approximately 1,290 square meters and stands as one of the city’s most important cultural and historical landmarks.

History and Architecture

The museum building was originally constructed between 1911 and 1915 as a three-storey residence with a ground floor, commissioned by Major Baha Bey, who served as the Head of the Military Recruitment Office during that period. The house was later purchased by Hasan Cavit Bey, a Member of Parliament and a close associate of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

During his visit to Adapazarı, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk stayed in this house as a guest together with his mother between 14 and 22 June 1922. Due to this historically significant stay, the building became known as the Atatürk House.

The residence suffered extensive damage during the 1967 Adapazarı earthquake. Recognized as an important example of civil architecture, the building was officially registered as a protected monument in 1983. Subsequently, it was expropriated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. While the exterior was restored faithfully to its original appearance, the interior was completely redesigned and adapted for museum use.

Current Layout

The building is arranged over three main levels:

• Ground Floor: Administrative offices
• First Floor: Director’s office and the main exhibition hall
• Second Floor: Conference hall, used for cultural and educational events

This layout allows the museum to function both as an exhibition space and as a center for cultural activities.

Collections and Exhibitions

The exhibition hall presents a selection of artifacts from Prehistoric periods, as well as the Roman and Byzantine periods, alongside ethnographic material reflecting the cultural history of the region.

The museum collection includes:

• 130 archaeological artifacts
• 184 ethnographic objects
• 4 handwritten manuscripts
• 1,205 coins
• 11 seals and seal impressions

These objects collectively illustrate the long and continuous settlement history of Sakarya and its surroundings.

Museum Garden

The museum garden functions as an open-air exhibition area. Displayed here are architectural and funerary elements dating to the Roman and Byzantine periods, discovered within the boundaries of Sakarya Province. These include:

• Architectural fragments
• Tombstones
• Altars
• Inscribed stones
• Ossuary chests (ostotheks)
• Large terracotta storage jars
• Column bases

Cultural Significance

The Sakarya Museum holds a dual identity as both a historic house museum associated with Atatürk and an archaeological–ethnographic museum. It plays a key role in preserving the cultural memory of the city while contributing to public education through exhibitions, conferences, and cultural programs.

Today, the Sakarya Museum continues to serve as a bridge between local history and national heritage, offering visitors insight into the archaeological past of the region and the pivotal moments of the Turkish War of Independence.