Tarsus, which has been an important culture centre of Çukurova during the historical periods, has continuously been a settlement and culture centre from 7000 BC until today.
Tarsus has drawn the attention of foreign travelers between the 17th and 18th centuries and has been a place that is frequently visited by the foreign researchers.Due to the researches carried out, the importance of Tarsus in Çukurova history has increased. The cultural data obtained in the scientific excavations performed by Hetty Goldman in Gözlükule Tumulus that is in Tarsus settlement centre in between 1937-1948 has brought light upon ancient Çukurova history. The movable cultural values obtained from this excavation have been transferred to Adana Museum, which was the closest museum. Furthermore, the mosaics belonging to the 3rd – 4th century AD, found in the base excavation of the courthouse building made in the city centre are being exhibited in Hatay Museum today.
The underground historical structure and the density of the historical architectural opuses found in the streets and avenues of modern Tarsus settlement centre and the big number of the opuses found in the excavations in the city centre has born the thought of establishing a museum in Tarsus for the first time in 1969 – 1970.
The museum has started to be formed with the opuses that were started to be collected in 1969 in Kubad Paşa madrasa that was constructed by Kubad Paşa who was one of Ramazanoğlu masters, in the Ramazanoğulları Principality that was founded in Çukurova in 1450 AD in the city centre; and in 1971, the museum has been formally opened in the district.
In the museum building, besides the movable architectural opuses found in Tarsus centre and surrounding, a total of 35.000 opuses acquired by purchase, confiscation, excavations are exhibited. Since the existing museum building is not sufficient, the works for opening the new modern museum building in the 75th year of Tarsus Culture Centre Building that is going to be completed in 1998, are continuing. Also, the restoration and layout arrangement works are continuing in St. Paul Church which remained from the 18th – 19th century so as to allow for belief tourism in the year 2000.
