Ephesus Museum

The Ephesus Museum, in Selçuk, holds the finest finds from the ancient city and its surroundings and is among Türkiye's most important museums for visitor numbers and cultural programmes. It is organised by subject and find groups, with halls for fountain finds, terrace house finds, ancient coins, the cult of Cybele, the Temple of Artemis and the imperial cult. Its story spans about 8,500 years, reaching back to finds from the Çukuriçi mound.

The best-known pieces are the Ephesian Artemis, the marble Artemis, Eros with a dolphin and Eros with a hare, the head of Eros, the statue of Priapus, an Egyptian priest, Isis, various mythological gods and a head of Socrates. Look too for the Resting Warrior found at the Polio Fountain and for the marble Marcus Aurelius. The Artemis statue shows features fused with Kybele, Anatolia's ancient mother goddess: a high temple-shaped crown, a pearl necklace and rows of fertility symbols across her chest.

In the middle garden, the arasta section shows trade life in old Turkish towns and crafts now fading away. A separate section displays electrum, gold, silver and copper coins and jewellery from antiquity into Ottoman times.