Museum sights in Ankara
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A
Rahmi M Koç Industrial Museum
In the old Çengelhan the new Rahmi M Koç Industrial Museum is perfect for kids (and adults) who prefer a hands-on approach to staring at a bunch of pots behind glass, and has slightly less emphasis on transport than its original branch in İstanbul .
Walk straight ahead once you've entered the gate and you'll see, on your left, the citadel mosque, the Alaettin Camii, which dates from the 12th century but has been extensively rebuilt.
To your right a steep road leads to a flight of stairs taking you up to the Şark Kulesi (Eastern Tower), with panoramic city views. Although it's much harder to find, the tower at the north, Ak Kale (White Fort), also offers fine views. If …
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B
Museum of Anatolian Civilisations
The superb Museum of Anatolian Civilisations is the perfect introduction to the complex weave of Turkey's ancient past, housing artefacts cherry-picked from just about every significant archaeological site in Anatolia.
The museum is housed in a beautifully restored 15th-century bedesten (covered market). The 10-domed central marketplace houses reliefs and statues, while the surrounding hall displays exhibits from the earlier Anatolian civilisations: Palaeolithic, neolithic, chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Assyrian, Hittite, Phrygian, Urartian and Lydian. The downstairs sections hold classical Greek and Roman artefacts and a display on Ankara's history. Get there early to avoid t…
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C
Ethnography Museum
The Ethnography Museum is housed inside a white marble post-Ottoman building (1927) that served as Atatürk's mausoleum until 1953. To get there, go to Ulus metro station and follow Talat Paşa Bulvarı until you see the 'Etnografya Müzesi' sign (not the 'Resim ve Heykel Müzesi' sign).
Past the equestrian statue out front, the mausoleum is preserved in the entrance hall. Around the walls are photographs of Atatürk's funeral. The collection is superb, with displays covering henna ceremonies, Anatolian jewellery, rug-making, Seljuk ceramics, early-15th-century doors and (opposite the anxious-looking mannequins in the circumcision display) coffee. Also of interest are the c…
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D
Open-Air Steam Locomotive Museum
The Open-Air Steam Locomotive Museum is a collection of slowly rusting vintage engines on the southwestern side of the station. To find it, descend the underpass as though you were going to the train platforms, but keep walking straight on. Just before entering the Tandoğan Kapalı Çarşı shopping area, climb the steps to your left, then turn right and continue for around 800m.
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E
Republic Museum
The Republic Museum was the second headquarters of the grand national assembly, and its early history appears in photographs and documents. The captions are in Turkish but you don't need to read anything to get a sense of the republic's modest beginnings. The assembly itself is now housed in a rather more imposing building in Bakanlıklar.
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F
Railway Museum & Art Gallery
While waiting for a train at Ankara station you may want to take a look at the Railway Museum & Art Gallery, a small building on platform one that served as Atatürk's residence during the War of Independence. Right beside it is Atatürk's private rail coach, a gift from one Adolf Hitler.
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G
Painting & Sculpture Museum
Next door to the Ethnography Museum, the Painting & Sculpture Museum occupies an equally elaborate building. Ranging from angular war scenes to society portraits, the pieces demonstrate that 19th- and 20th-century artistic developments in Turkey parallelled those in Europe, with Atatürk appearing in increasingly abstract form.
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