Ankara Ethnography Museum

Each government in the world which completed its nationalization process, prioritizes the foundation of the national museums that research the nation’s history, accumulate the nation's material historical products and intangible national values to create and consolidate a national identity by demonstrating this cultural and historical accumulation to the visitors. Likewise, Ankara Ethnography Museum constructed by the Government of Türkiye Republic according to the accepted museum project decided within this direction.

Architect of the museum building was Arif Hikmet KOYUNOĞLU, contractor was Nazif KOTAN of Erzurum, marble master was Hüseyin Avni Efendi, metal founder of the reliefs on the dome was Master Hakkı and engineer was the Bahri Bey.

Construction of the museum building had started in 1925 and completed in 1926 and soon after construction completion of the museum building Hamit Zübey KOŞAY, appointed as the director of the museum on 01.06.1927.

The date of appointment of the first director is accepted as the official foundation date of the museum. To complete internal arrangements and make the exhibition halls ready for the visit of the King of Afghanistan, Amanullah Khan, all staff worked at high pressure and Amanullah Khan visited the museum during his visit to Türkiye on 27.05.1928. The date of the visit was accepted as the opening date of the museum and on 18.07.1930 the museum opened to the public.

Mausoleum place in the entrance hall was the temporary tomb of the Gazi Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK from 21 November 1938 until 10 November 1953. For 15 years the museum building served as Atatürk’s Mausoleum. This part is still preserved in the form of a symbolic area, in honour of Atatürk's memory. After the transfer of the catafalque to the Anıtkabir, the museum opened to the public at the International Museum Day in 1956.

Thanks to the internal arrangements and pre-exhibition works, currently museum has nine (9) permanent exhibition halls: “Wooden Art Works Gallery, Gallery of Hacı Bayram-ı Veli and Sufi Order’s Artifacts, Gallery of Manuscripts and Calligraphy Sheets, Gallery of Power and Military Items, Gallery of Tile Works, Gallery of Ankara House, Gallery of the Earthenware-Glass and Metal Works, Gallery of the Rugs and Carpets, Gallery of the Elegance and Aesthetics” and one (1) “Temporary Exhibition Hall” in total ten (10) galleries. Wooden historical items from Seljukian Period, from Period of the Principalities, from Ottoman Period such as the Door Leave, the Mihrab (altar/shrine), the Minber (Mosque’s Pulpit) and the Sufi Order Dervishes’ Items, the Manuscript and Calligraphy Sheet, the War Tools and Equipment, the Tile and the Porcelain Work, the Earthenware and Metal Work, historical examples of the Rug and Carpet, exemplified artefact pieces from field of Jewelry and Clothing are exhibited in these galleries.