Tarsus Museum in Mersin, Turkey

Tarsus Museum presents archaeological and ethnographic material connected with Tarsus and its surrounding area, bringing objects from prehistoric settlements, classical antiquity and later periods together in the restored former courthouse in the center of Tarsus. The present exhibition contains 2,023 objects, including archaeological finds, ethnographic material and coins.

From Prehistory to the Hellenistic Period

The ground-floor galleries follow the area’s archaeology through the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age. Displays then continue through the Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic periods. Many of the archaeological objects were found during excavations around Tarsus or entered the museum collection through other documented acquisition processes.

The displays do more than arrange material by date. A reconstructed Bronze Age house helps place objects within a domestic setting, while other sections connect finds with changes in settlement and everyday life.

Roman and Eastern Roman Tarsus

Roman and Eastern Roman material occupies dedicated sections of the museum. The exhibition also includes a section connected with Donuktaş, the large Roman-period monument in Tarsus, and displays that address Cleopatra within the historical setting of the ancient city.

These galleries place individual artifacts beside themes associated with the urban history of Tarsus rather than treating them as isolated objects. Roman and Eastern Roman pieces also appear in a mixed thematic hall.

Coins and Later Cultural History

The numismatic displays extend across several political and cultural periods. They include Greek, Hellenistic, Roman and Eastern Roman coins as well as examples from Islamic dynasties and states such as the Abbasids, Umayyads, Ilkhanids, Artuqids, Seljuks and Ottomans. European coins are also represented.

Ethnographic collections carry the exhibition into the Ottoman and Republican periods. Sections dealing with Tarsus food culture, Yörük traditions and clothing shift the focus from archaeological chronology to everyday practices. The museum also uses reconstructed scenes, figures, dioramas and interactive displays to explain selected subjects.

The Museum’s Three Homes

The institution has occupied several buildings. Its first home was Kubat Paşa Medresesi, an open-courtyard madrasa built in the 16th century and converted for museum use in 1971. The collection later moved to space within the 75th Year Cultural Center complex.

The museum remained at the cultural center until July 2018, when that location closed for maintenance work. Meanwhile, the former Tarsus courthouse had been allocated to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for conversion into a new museum.

The Former Courthouse

The courthouse building was completed in 1950 and served the city for 59 years. After a new courthouse opened, the older building was transferred to the Ministry in 2013. Restoration, exhibition installation and landscaping followed.

The new Tarsus Museum opened there on December 22, 2020. The two-floor exhibition layout created more room for archaeological material and for sections devoted to the social and cultural history of Tarsus. Visitor facilities include an elevator, baby-care room, parking area, cafeteria, prayer room and museum shop.

Visiting Tarsus Museum

Tarsus Museum is in Kızılmurat Mahallesi on Atatürk Caddesi. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism currently lists the museum as open every day from 08:00 to 19:00, with the ticket office closing at 18:30. The museum is also included in the Ministry’s 2026 seasonal schedule with a 19:00 closing time between May 1 and October 1.

MuseumKart is accepted. The Ministry’s current museum tariff lists an admission charge of €3 for Tarsus Museum. Because opening hours and admission policies can change, the official museum listing should be checked before a visit.