The Aydın Archeology Museum, whose foundations were laid in 2000, finally opened its doors to visitors on Friday, a day before Eid al-Fitr, the three-day holiday that follows the month of Ramadan.

An inauguration ceremony was held on Friday with Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay in attendance. Speaking at the ceremony, Günay said the museum is an Eid gift to Aydın residents.

“The museum was slated to open in October, but I wanted it be opened before Eid,” Günay said, adding that the new museum is among the top 10 museums in the country. Officials hope the new archeology museum will attract many visitors during the three-day holiday.

Construction began on the new museum in 2000 but was interrupted by many delays, until recently Günay pushed for its completion. The tender for the construction of the museum was held last year, and work was completed very recently.
Aydın Provincial Culture and Tourism Director Nuri Aktakka said around 3,000 historical artifacts are on display in the 2,500-square-meter museum. “Most of the artifacts were discovered at the Tralleis, Magnesia, Alinda, Nysa, Alabanda and Ortasia historical sites in Turkey. We hope to increase the number of artifacts in the museum in the future. We have many historical sites in Aydın, and excavations are under way to discover more artifacts,” he said.

Aktaka also said 11,000 archeological and 45,000 numismatic and 4,000 ethnographic artifacts are currently registered at the museum and they will be on display by turns.