Tokat Museum, Archaeological museum in Arastalı Bedesten, Tokat, Turkey
Tokat Museum is an archaeological institution housed in Arastalı Bedesten, a former Ottoman-era marketplace building. The collection spans tens of thousands of artifacts including sculptures, coins, and archaeological findings from Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods, distributed across multiple exhibition areas.
Founded in 1926, the museum was initially housed in Gök Medrese before relocating to Arastalı Bedesten in 2012, a restored 16th-century marketplace. The move allowed for expanded exhibition space and better preservation of the growing collection.
The ethnographic section displays a handwritten Koran from 1191, local ceramics, and dedicated rooms showcasing traditional kerchief manufacturing and copper craftsmanship. These objects come from daily life in the region and reveal how people once lived and worked with their hands.
The museum sits near the Camii Kebir district and is open daily except Mondays, with extended morning and afternoon hours. Visitors should expect appropriate lighting throughout and plan time to explore all sections comfortably.
The museum safeguards Hittite clay tablets from Maşat Höyük, a rare collection of written records from the ancient empire. Alongside a Hellenistic sword and Roman bronze sculptures, these objects represent some of the region's most valuable evidence for understanding ancient times.
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