Restored Side Museum welcomes visitors

ANTALYA

The Side Museum, whose restoration was completed last year by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, stands out with its rich collection that sheds light on the region’s history, featuring traces from the Late Bronze Age, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods.

Located in the ancient city of Side in the southern province of Antalya’s Manavgat district, the museum is housed in an ancient bathhouse dating back to the second century A.D. Converted into a museum, it has welcomed visitors since 1962.

The museum, which is home to artifacts from the Late Bronze Age, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods, showcases a collection of 3,309 archaeological artifacts and 9,484 coins, including statues, sarcophagi, inscriptions, reliefs, busts, jewelry, architectural fragments, terracotta, glass and bronze objects.

Restored under the Ministry’s "Heritage for the Future" project and reopened in November last year, the museum has undergone various improvements in both open and closed exhibition areas.

With its thematic displays featuring artifacts unearthed in recent excavations, the museum captivates visitors with its impressive atmosphere and valuable exhibits.

A local museum

Professor Feriştah Alanyalı, the head of the Side ancient city excavations and a faculty member of Anadolu University’s Faculty of Literature, told the state-run Anadolu Agency that the region’s findings date back to the 8th and 9th centuries B.C. and with some interruptions, extend to the 13th century Seljuk period.

Alanyalı stated that the museum has a vast collection from Side and its surroundings, adding, "It houses some findings dating back to the Late Bronze Age, demonstrating that the region has been home to significant settlements since the Hittite period."

Highlighting that the Side Museum is a well-endowed local museum, Alanyalı said, "It was established for the findings from Side, but it also hosts artifacts from the surrounding areas. Since 2014, excavation activities in Side have increased, significantly enriching the museum's collection."

Explaining that the ancient city attracts a large number of local and international tourists each year, Alanyalı said this necessitated the museum’s renovation. In this context, a new exhibition layout and improvements were carried out with the ministry’s support.

Alanyalı stated that the renewed museum has received great appreciation.

"The museum welcomes visitors in its new form. It houses monumental sculptures that reflect the sculptural tradition of Side. Among the displays are statues from the Emperor’s Hall east of the gymnasium, statues unearthed in recent excavations in the gymnasium’s southern stoa [a covered walkway] and sculptures from the Monumental Fountain," she added.

Alanyalı noted that the museum’s new exhibition aims to introduce visitors not only to the city’s sculptures but also to other important findings and historical aspects.

She noted that the renewed displays include artifacts unearthed in recent excavations. "Small finds uncovered in excavations have now been included in the museum’s new exhibition. Some artifacts are even being displayed for the first time. Additionally, inscriptions in the Sidean script are being exhibited together for the first time. Side had its own script and language, used from the 7th century B.C. to the Hellenistic period. The collective display of these inscriptions, which belong to the Neo-Luwian language group, is of great significance."