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Miletus Museum

Miletus Museum

A small museum next to the ruins of Miletus in Aydın, showing what the Ionian city was and how it faded once its harbour silted up.

About the museum

Miletus has been settled since early prehistory. After the Mycenaean and Achaean colonies, the city passed through the Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods, then the Menteşe principality and the Ottoman era, and the museum is the place to gather this long sequence into one picture.

In the Archaic age Miletus had a busy harbour and was capital of the Ionian Confederation. As the sea retreated and the harbour stopped working, the city lost its importance. In 1261 a Menteşe bey, Orhan, had coins struck in his own name here and the city was renamed Palatia; later it was known as Balat, and it remained a village until the earthquake of 1955.

Because this museum shares its ticket with the archaeological site next door, the two work best as one visit: the ruins show you the scale of the city, while the museum helps you understand the people who lived in it. Visiting the museum first is a good way to give the theatre and harbour more meaning.

Tips

  • A single ticket is normally valid for both the museum and the Miletus archaeological site.
  • Turkish citizens can use the Müzekart here. Check the official page for the current opening status before travelling.

Questions

When is Miletus Museum open?

According to the Ministry’s listing it opens at 09:00 and closes at 19:00 (last entry 18:30). Open every day.

Can I buy tickets for Miletus Museum on this site?

No. This site sells no tickets. Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia and Dolmabahçe Palace are sold on our sister sites; for Miletus Museum, buy at the ticket office or on the Ministry’s official e-ticket system.

Where is Miletus Museum?

Miletus Museum is in Aydın, Türkiye — balat mahallesi milet sok.no:23.

Nearby

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Aphrodisias Museum and Archaeological Site

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Didim Temple of Apollo

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Karacasu Ethnography Museum

A small ethnography museum in Karacasu, Aydın, showing objects from the recent past of the town and region, including traditional crafts.

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Alabanda Archaeological Site

A Carian city near Çine in Aydın, famed in antiquity for its wealth, with remains of a theatre, aqueduct, council house and necropolis.

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