The Founder of Antalya Museum
How Süleyman Fikri Erten founded the museum famous for its Roman era collections
Antalya MuseumThe Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums of Türkiye
Founded in 1922, Antalya Museum is home to one of the world's most significant collections of Roman-era sculptures.
Reflecting Antalya's rich ancient heritage, the museum's collection spans thousands of years of civilization, from the Lower Paleolithic Age to the Roman period.
The Dionysiac SarcophagusThe Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums of Türkiye
Antalya Museum houses artifacts from Lycian, Pamphylian, and Pisidian settlements.
The museum began with a collection of voluntarily donated artifacts, and today it boasts 14 exhibition halls, open-air galleries, and gardens.
Süleyman Fikri ErtenThe Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums of Türkiye
The Museum reflects the vision of Süleyman Fikri Erten, a high school teacher who volunteered to become an Ancient Monuments Officer to prevent the illicit export of historical artifacts from Antalya.
Antalya Museum's collection of antiquities has grown steadily over the years, from its humble beginnings in a shrine to its current location in a dedicated museum building. The museum's collection now includes unique finds unearthed in nearby excavations.
Antalya MuseumThe Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums of Türkiye
Erten's fascination with ancient artifacts is rooted in long Ottoman tradition, dating back to Mehmed the Conqueror, who initiated an open-air museum featuring Byzantine sarcophagi and column capitals in the courtyards of the Topkapı Palace.
Born nearly 450 years after Sultan Mehmed, Süleyman Fikri Erten was appointed to Antalya High School in 1910 as Turkish language and arts teacher.
His legacy as the founder of Antalya Museum, however, had its roots in the 1919 occupation of Antalya by the Italians.
Antalya MuseumThe Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums of Türkiye
Erten began collecting artifacts to prevent efforts by Italian occupiers to smuggle them out of Antalya.
His dedication earned him the title of fahrî Âsâr-ı Atîka – honorary Ancient Monuments Officer - the same year.
Süleyman Fikri ErtenThe Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums of Türkiye
Erten became the director of the museum in 1924.
Erten spent the next ten years exploring the outskirts of Antalya on a series of research expeditions. He carefully recorded his observations in a series of reports.
The Archive of Süleyman Fikri Erten-KorkuteliThe Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums of Türkiye
Erten's first report explores Korkuteli, from ancient Pisidia. He educates locals about preservation and reclaims artifacts for five cents.
Erten collects, records, and reclaims manuscripts and historical artifacts from Antalya's outskirts, which are now in the museum.
The Archive of Süleyman Fikri Erten- Two Towers, PergeThe Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums of Türkiye
Perge, shown here from Erten’s lens and his handwriting, is featured prominently in the Antalya Museum.
Perge, a Roman settlement in Anatolia, boasts a well-preserved theater and stadium, and is significant in Turkey's Christian heritage, having been visited twice by St. Paul.
The Archive of Süleyman Fikri Erten-Aspendos AqueductsThe Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums of Türkiye
Erten's records show that Aspendos, a city known for its well-preserved ancient theater and aqueduct, has been important since the 5th century BCE, when the Persians arrived.
However, recent excavations have revealed artifacts from the Early Iron Age, suggesting that the city has even deeper roots.
The Archive of Süleyman Fikri Erten-Kaleiçi Bastion InscriptionThe Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums of Türkiye
Erten photographed this Seljuk inscription at the Antalya castle, where the Antalya Museum had its beginnings.
After the Italian occupation ended, Erten transferred artifacts from the Italian Consulate back to the nascent museum, which he directed until retirement in 1941.
The Sarcophagus of HeraclesThe Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums of Türkiye
Erten’s efforts have helped transform Antalya Museum to one of the world’s most significant sculpture museums today.
To learn more about the Antalya Museum, please visit this link.
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