A window into Türkiye’s storied past, the Tekirdağ Archaeology and Ethnography Museum welcomed approximately 24,000 visitors in 2025, according to official figures.
The museum displays artifacts uncovered during excavations in Tekirdağ and its surroundings, spanning from prehistoric times to the present day. Its collection includes 4,863 archaeological artefacts, 1,909 ethnographic items and 17,129 coins.
Among the most popular exhibits are a statue of Kybele, grave finds belonging to Thracian King Kersebleptes and artefacts recovered from the Fayans Shipwreck.
Speaking to state-run Anadolu Agency, Tekirdağ Culture and Tourism Director Ömer Faruk Karaküçük said the city has a rich cultural heritage dating back to the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods.
Established in 1967, the museum sheds light on the thousands of years of history of the Thrace region and attracts strong interest from both local and international visitors, Karaküçük said.
“With its collections from the Ottoman, Byzantine and Thracian periods, our museum achieved significant success by welcoming 24,000 visitors in 2025,” he noted, adding that tourists from Hungary, Bulgaria and Greece were among the most frequent foreign visitors last year.
Karaküçük said artefacts uncovered during archaeological excavations in Tekirdağ, including everyday objects, grave goods and various historical items, offer visitors a comprehensive journey through history.
He highlighted that the most popular exhibit is the reconstructed face and burial finds of Thracian King Kersebleptes.
“This work, which represents the first facial reconstruction carried out in Türkiye, distinguishes the museum in its field,” Karaküçük said.
He also recalled that the museum hosted 16,000 visitors in 2024, noting that the increase in 2025 has helped position it as one of Thrace’s leading centers for culture and tourism.
With its rich collection spanning from the Thracian civilization to the Ottoman era, the museum continues to welcome history and culture enthusiasts, he added.
