History of the Museum
The first museum in Kahramanmaraş has been established in the building known as Taş Madrasa belonging to the 16th century that is located on Belediye Street of Ekmekçi Quarter in the city centre, in 1947. Colonel H. Nuri Yurdakul has expressed the idea of establishing the museum for the first time and had an important role in its establishment. The museum consisted of pictures belonging to the February 12th independence heroes and Atatürk and some other works at the beginning.
After 1957, archaeological and ethnographic works have been taken into the scope of the museum and it has been enlarged. Until 1961, the museum provided service in Taş Madrasa, but then moved to the building in the fort that is in the centre of Kahramanmaraş. On November 29th, 1975, it has been moved to its new modern building on Azerbaycan Boulevard in Yenişehir Quarter of the Central District and is still providing service in that building.
There are four exhibition sections in Kahramanmaraş Museum:
1- Archaeology Hall
2- Stone Works Hall
3- Ethnography Hall
4- Garden and Porch
1- Archaeology Hall
In two showcases at the door entrance, the works of Kahramanmaraş Province, Pazarcık District, Kelibişler Village Domuztepe ruin place excavation and the works of Kahramanmaraş Province, Central District, Hopaz Tumulus excavation are exhibited. Behind these two showcases and in the showcase numbered 1, two archaic elephant (mammoth) skeletons found in Kahramanmaraş Province Türkoğlu District Gavur Lake are exhibited.
In the showcase numbered II, various prehistoric works found in the excavation made in Döngel Cave in the city centre are exhibited, while the showcase numbered III is reserved for the exhibition of bronze and stone works belonging to the Late Hittite Period.
In the showcase numbered IV, various ceramic works from the Iron Period to the Hellenistic Period, bronze arch belonging to Urartu, glasses belonging to
the Phonecians, bronze pots are displayed.
In the showcase numbered V, glass, bronze, ceramic works belonging to the Hellenistic Period are displayed.
In the showcase numbered VI, glass, bronze and ceramic works of the same type belonging to the Roman Period, are exhibited.
In the showcase numbered VII, bronze and stone works belonging to the Roman Period, are displayed.
In the showcase numbered VIII, various works belonging to the Byzantine period are exhibited. In two wall showcases, golden Jewellery of Roman Period, in another one wall showcase golden Venice coins, in two table showcases bronze, silver and golden coins belonging to the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine Periods, in another three table showcases seals, necklaces, rings and ring stones are exhibited.
2- Stone Works Hall
Generally stone steles belonging to the Late Hittite Period and Roman Period sculpturing and grave steles are found.
3- Ethnography Hall
The 18th – 19th century man and woman clothes, bindallı clothes, shalwars, ediks, rawhide sandals, clogs, woman ornamental goods, man accessories, kilims, war instruments, rare samples of wood carving, goods belonging to the heroes of Independence War, rich Islamic and Ottoman coin collection are exhibited here.
4- Garden and Porc
Sarcophagi, altars, grave stones, columns, column heads, architectural elements, pithoses belonging to the Roman period and stone lion sculpture belonging to the Hittite Period and bull sculpture having a hieroglyph inscription which also belongs to the Hittite Period, mill stones belonging to various periods are exhibited in the garden. In the porch, rich samples of stone steles belonging to the Late Hittite Period are located.
Totally 24470 movable cultural assets are recorded in the inventories of the museum. 15965 of these are coins. The works consist of 8469 pieces, 5744 of which are archaeological, 2248 of which are ethnographic and 477 of which are seals
