The Antalya Museum was founded in 1922 by the teacher Süleyman Fikri Erten in order to protect the artifacts saved from the looting of the occupying forces that arrived in the region after World War I. First located in the Alaaddin Mosque in Kaleiçi and later in the Yivli Minaret Mosque, the Museum was moved to its current modern building in 1972.

Today, the Antalya Museum covers a vast area of 30,000 square meters, featuring 14 exhibition halls, open-air galleries where sculptures and various artifacts are displayed, and an impressive museum garden. Situated in one of Anatolia’s richest historical regions, the Museum’s area of responsibility includes significant portions of the ancient cultural regions of Lycia, Pamphylia, and Pisidia — territories that have witnessed uninterrupted human history for thousands of years.

Antalya, with its immense archaeological wealth, serves as an international open-air museum and a major scientific excavation center. Each year, researchers from many countries conduct archaeological excavations in the region. Numerous rescue excavations, site restorations, and environmental arrangement projects are carried out by the Antalya Museum. In addition to being an Archaeology and History Museum, it also serves as a Regional Museum.

Most of the pieces in the collection come from scientific excavations conducted in the region, while ethnographic artifacts have been carefully gathered by museum experts from local communities. Inside the exhibition halls, visitors can explore thousands of years of Anatolian history — from the earliest humans to the present day — displayed chronologically and sometimes thematically. With its impressive collection of Roman Period sculptures from Perge and the unique artifacts uncovered in recent rescue excavations, the Antalya Museum is considered one of the most important museums in the world.

In 1988, the museum was awarded the “European Museum of the Year Award” by the Council of Europe.

Although reaching the Antalya Museum is relatively easy, exploring the region’s numerous ancient cities, archaeological sites, and cultural landmarks comfortably and freely is best done by renting a car. This is where Akdeniz Rent A Car becomes especially valuable. With its modern, well-maintained, and safe vehicle fleet, Akdeniz Rent A Car provides visitors with great convenience, allowing them to explore Antalya’s vast historical landscape at their own pace. For anyone who wishes to make the most of their time and travel with complete flexibility, Akdeniz Rent A Car is the ideal travel companion.