Hatay Archaeology Museum poised to reopen by end 2026

HATAY

The Hatay Archaeology Museum — one of the world's premier repositories of ancient mosaics — is set to reopen in stages by late 2026, officials have confirmed, marking a major milestone in the region's cultural recovery three years after the devastating February 2023 earthquakes that struck southern Türkiye.

The museum, which had launched strengthening and renovation works as part of a reconstruction process after sustaining damage in what has been described as the disaster of the century, previously housed 37,000 artifacts before the quake.

Hüseyin Yayman, deputy chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), inspected the ongoing works at the museum on site and received information from officials of the contractor company.

The Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes caused massive destruction in Hatay, leveling residential areas and public buildings across the city. The Hatay Archaeology Museum, which houses historical structures reflecting the legacy of various civilizations that have lived in the region, was also damaged in the disaster and became unusable.

The 37,000 artifacts in its collection were placed under protection in storage facilities across the city, while work began to reinforce and renovate the museum building.

The Hatay Archaeology Museum was one of the largest mosaic museums in the world. It was one of the places that must be seen before death. It clearly showcased our city’s cultural, historical and folkloric richness,” Yayman said.

He noted that a section of the museum is expected to be reopened by the end of this year.

Drawing attention to the size of the museum’s collection before the earthquake, Yayman said the number of artifacts will increase to 40,000 once the museum fully reopens.

“When it reopens, we will raise this number to 40,000 and restore the Hatay Archaeology Museum to the place it deserves,” he said.