Anamur Museumvisitor guide.

Scientific archaeological excavations commenced in 1960 at the ancient city of Anemurium by American and Canadian scholars inspired the concept of creating a museum in Anamur District in order to evaluate all cultural heritage in the region. The first foundation of the museum building was laid in 1976 upon a 2,630 m² plot of land allocated in Yalıevleri Neighborhood. Following completion of construction works in 1990, display and arrangement works were finalized in 1992. Due to the lack of a proper and adequate museum facility until that time, artifacts uncovered in Anemurium excavations were safeguarded at Alanya Museum, while other finds discovered across the district were preserved at Silifke Museum. In 1984, permanent staff was allocated to Anamur Museum and the museum began providing public services in a rented shop on Atatürk Boulevard. The museum undertook identification and documentation surveys of cultural and natural properties across Anamur and surroundings, conducting rescue excavations in 1985 and 1986 at Bozyazı (Nagidos) necropolis and the ruins of the ancient city of Rig Manoi within Mamure Castle. Archaeological excavations at Anemurium, initiated jointly by American and Canadian teams, were later directed by Canadian Prof. Dr. James Russell. From 1986 onwards, Kelenderis (Aydıncık) excavations were initiated under the directorship of Anamur Museum Directorate on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, with Selçuk University faculty member Assoc. Prof. Dr. Levent Zoroğlu serving as scientific supervisor. Alongside artifacts brought from Alanya and Silifke museums originating from Anamur, objects transferred from the closed Erdemli Museum and items donated by the highly conscious public of Anamur have reached nearly 7,000 in total number today. The upper floor of the museum building houses administrative offices, a library, photographic lab, and conference hall; the lower floor accommodates a cafeteria, ethnographic and archaeological exhibition galleries, storage depots for antiquities, and a restoration laboratory. Educational slide lectures to prevent illicit antiquities trafficking, art exhibitions, and photo displays are organized in the conference hall. The ethnography section showcases finest examples of our traditional folk arts: regional kilim types locally known as Bönce, Çiğni Düşük, Ala, Aynalı, and Boncuklu, carved wooden coffee grinders, coffee coolers, coffee boxes, mirror frames, mother-of-pearl inlaid drawers, spoon racks carved in spoon form, powder flasks, wooden mortars, and knucklebone sticks; metal vessels crafted with chasing, stamping, and repoussé techniques; niello-inlaid swords and shepherd pistols; filigree silver necklaces, earrings, and jewelry; copper cauldrons and dishes, woolen socks, sashes, towels, saddlebags, waistbands, tobacco and coin pouches, camel halters, and pocket watches. NEARBY MUSEUMS MERSIN KIZ KALESİ KANLI DİVANE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE SİLİFKE ATATÜRK HOUSE AND ETHNOGRAPHY MUSEUM SİLİFKE MUSEUM SİLİFKE NARLIKUYU MOSAIC MUSEUM SİLİFKE ASTHMA CAVE