After being closed for the restoration of its old building, the Manisa Museum has reopened in a new facility, illuminating thousands of years of regional history.
Located adjacent to the Muradiye Complex, the original museum first opened 90 years ago but was closed in 2000 for restoration work on the complex. The new museum building, situated in the Yunusemre district, officially began serving visitors last week following the opening ceremony of the Türkiye Cultural Road Festival, attended by the minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.
Enriched with new artifacts uncovered during recent excavations, the museum now houses traces of various civilizations spanning a vast timeline.
Among its prized exhibits are a volcanic tuff fragment bearing a Paleolithic footprint - discovered near the Çakallar Volcano in Salihli – legendary reliefs of the Lydian eagle, the 2.6-meter-tall (8.53-foot-tall) statue of the goddess Hestia unearthed from the ancient city of Aeolis, and 1,700 artifacts illustrating the daily lives of Ottoman princes.
Ibrahim Sudak, director of Manisa’s Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, expressed great satisfaction at reopening the museum after a long and challenging process. He emphasized that the museum’s collection began with artifacts from the ancient city of Sardes and has since expanded to include finds from various locations.
“Our museum sheds light on a history stretching back 10,000 years before Christ, starting with prehistoric footprints and extends to artifacts from civilizations up to 2,000 years ago,” Sudak explained. “The collection spans an extensive period – from Hellenistic statues and the princes’ council chamber to mosaics from the Lydian and Roman eras and even Ottoman-era clothing and culinary traditions.”
The museum’s reopening after 25 years has attracted visitors not only from Manisa but also from nearby provinces such as Izmir, Balıkesir and Uşak.
Sudak noted that visitors tend to spend considerable time admiring the Lydian eagle reliefs, intricate mosaics, and the monumental statue of Hestia found at the city council excavation site in Aeolis.
“All the artifacts here are invaluable, but the Lydian eagles stand out for their rich history, inspiring many legends and stories across various countries. While the Lydian eagles can only be seen at Manisa Museum, visitors can also witness the largest Hellenistic statue of Hestia, a unique masterpiece of the era.”
