Şanlıurfa Archaeology and Mosaic Museum 🇹🇷

Located in south-eastern Şanlıurfa, Turkey, across from the Şanlıurfa Piazza Mall and near the sacred Balıklıgöl pool, the Şanlıurfa Archaeology and Mosaic Museums complex is one of the largest in the country. You will explore a massive site spanning 34,000 square meters across two primary buildings, featuring the archaeology museum to the north and the mosaic museum to the south. You should visit to immerse yourself in ancient history, as the collections display incredible finds from Edessa, Göbekli Tepe, Karahan Tepe, Harran, and hydroelectric dam reservoirs.

Across three floors and four exhibition halls, you can view Assyrian, Babylonian, and Hittite artifacts alongside Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age treasures like terracotta ceramics, figurines, stamps, and idols. You will also see an ethnographic section featuring traditional clothes, calligraphy, hand-written Korans, and silver ornaments. A major highlight you cannot miss is the famous Urfa Man statue, dated to around 9000 BC, recognized as the world's oldest known life-size human sculpture.

Additionally, the mosaic section houses remarkable historical works, including the 184 A.D. Orpheus mosaic, which returned home from the Dallas Museum in 2015.

What to see at Şanlıurfa Archaeology and Mosaic Museum

• The Urfa Man statue, the oldest known life-size human sculpture dating back to around 9000 BC
• The Orpheus mosaic created in 184 A.D., which returned to Şanlıurfa from the Dallas Museum in 2015
• Extensive artifacts from renowned ancient sites including Göbekli Tepe, Karahan Tepe, and Harran
• Four exhibition halls filled with Assyrian, Babylonian, Hittite, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age finds
• An ethnographic section featuring hand-written Korans, calligraphy, traditional handworks, and silver ornaments

Visiting tips

Because the museum complex sits right across from the Şanlıurfa Piazza Mall and close to Balıklıgöl, you can easily combine your visit with these nearby sites.

How long: 2-3 hours · Best time: Morning

How to get there & what’s nearby

Şanlıurfa Archaeology and Mosaic Museum is easy to reach on Şanlıurfa’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Edessa and Ulu Camii. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Şanlıurfa travel guide.