The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ankara (must see)

The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations is situated on the southern side of Ankara Castle, in the Atpazarı region of Ankara. The museum is comprised of the ancient Ottoman Mahmut Paşa bazaar storage building and the Kurşunlu Han. Following renovations and repairs (1938-1968), the museum opened its doors to the public as the Ankara Archaeological Museum.

Nowadays, the Kurşunlu Han functions as an administrative building and contains workrooms, a library, a conference hall, a laboratory, and a workshop. The old bazaar building showcases the exhibits. Inside this Ottoman structure, the museum displays a variety of Anatolian archaeological artifacts, ranging from the Paleolithic period to the Ottoman era, in chronological order. The museum also features a vast collection of items unearthed from numerous excavation sites, representing multiple historical periods.

The showcased gold, silver, glass, marble, and bronze works date back to the latter half of the first millennium BC. The coin collections, which include examples from the first minted coins to contemporary times, are considered the museum's unique cultural treasures.

On April 19, 1997, the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations was recognized as the first "European Museum of the Year" in Switzerland, thanks to its historical buildings and deep-rooted past.