One of the oldest active museums of our country was started in 1921 in Sinop. The works, which were first protected in Mekteb – i İdadi, and the findings obtained from different parts of the city by time, were collected in The Süleyman Müinüddin Pervane Madrasa in 1932 and the core of a museum was formed.
The museum, which was opened for visit in 1941, was an office in 1945 and a directorate in 1947, and in 1970, it was moved to its newly constructed building. The cultural assets are exhibited in the sections formed in modern museum halls.
The Internal Exhibition Hall / The Ground Floor
The Gallery: The Section of Works Belonging to the Prehistoric Period
Among the findings belonging to the old Bronze Age (3000 – 2700 BC) collected from Sinop and its surroundings and obtained from the Demirci Village Kocagöz Tumulus excavation at a distance of 16 km to Sinop in 1953, there are handled and non- handled, legged and non-legged vases, cups, pots, plates, jars, handled pots made of cooked earth, necklaces, other pots in various forms, bone tools, an axe made of glazed stone, a bronze needle and spear ends.
Between the Gallery and the 1st hall, various coins belonging to the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman Periods can be seen and the amphora, which are the Black Sea findings and give a separate specialty to the museum, are exhibited in the last section.
The 1st Hall: The Classical Works Section
With chronological order, Hittite (2000 – 1200 BC), Phyrig (1200 – 695 BC), Archaic (650 – 480), the 5th – the 3rd century works such as jars, plates, hanger handled filter pots, clover mouthed painted jars made of cooked earth belonging to the Roman and Byzantine period (330 BC – 1453 AD), the 6th century plates, an aryballos, a kylix and the 5th and the 4th century cooked earth various small grave findings, golden, bone, bronze Jewellery, the Serapis temple findings, cylindrical seals, golden earrings, rings, doors in various forms, glass works of both periods, Jewellery such as earrings, bracelets and rings and the Seljuk and Ottoman treasures (coins) are exhibited in this hall.
On the other hand, the sculpture works belonging to the Hellenistic and Roman periods also provide an importance for the classical works section.
The 2nd Hall: The Ethnographic Works Section
Clothes, hand – made weaving, textile samples of The Sinop region, various Jewellery, encaustic tile porcelain, firing – perforating guns, writing sets,an ivory and mother – of – pearl inlaid drawer, kitchen goods are exhibited.
The 1st Floor
The Carpet and Hand – written Works Section
In this part of the museum, the Kula and Gördes carpet and the prayer rug samples belonging to the 17th and the 18th centuries, various bastes, hand – written Korans, writing types belonging to the calligraphy art, book binding covers, ivory inlaid bookrests are exhibited.
The Icon Section
Here, a rich icon collection bearing the features of Byzantine artistic style is exhibited. The icons depicting topics relating to Christ, Angel, Mary and Saints, that are made by using an abundant amount of golden gilding, in various sizes and dimensions are watched by especially the foreign visitors with great interest and are located in the hall in the first floor of the museum.
The Open Exhibition
Various architectural parts, stelae, sarcophagi, sarcophagus covers, altars, vow and mile stones and lion sculptures belonging to the Archaic, Classic, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods are exhibited in the porch and garden. Furthermore, many Islamic grave stones are also included in the open exhibition.
Existence of the ruins of the Serapis temple belonging to the Hellenistic Period, found in the area of excavation made in 1951 and the Sinop Sea Martyrs monument dated 1853, provide a specialty to the garden
