METU Archaeology Museum, which continues its activities as a “special museum” under the roof of METU - Center for Research on Historical Environmental Values (TAÇDAM), is one of the most unique campus stops that has witnessed the formation of the whole of values we define as “METU Spirit” and keeps this spirit alive. Located between the Library and the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, the building is one of the first campus buildings designed by Behruz Çinici and started to operate as a Museum in 1969 with the support of Kemal Kurdaş, one of our pioneering rectors. What makes the Museum unique in the true sense of the word is that the artifacts found in the archaeological sites within the campus area, which date back at least 5000 years, are exhibited in an archaeology museum established directly under the Rectorate, which is unique in METU, at least in our country.
The Early Bronze Age (3000-2000 BC) artifacts from the Ahlatlıbel and Koçumbeli archaeological sites located on the METU campus are among the most important artifact groups in Anatolian archaeology. In 1933, Ataturk funded the first official excavation at Ahlatlibel, and the finds from the site are now preserved at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. The artifacts of Koçumbeli, located very close to Ahlatlıbel, are exhibited at the METU Archaeology Museum. Yalıncak is another archaeological excavation site located within the campus area and whose artifacts are exhibited in our Museum. Dating back to the Late Phrygian Age (6th century BC), Yalıncak was inhabited during the Hellenistic-Roman-Ottoman periods. In addition, artifacts from the studies conducted by METU researchers on 4 tumuli in the Phrygian Necropolis of Ankara, which covers Atatürk Orman Çiftliği and Bahçelievler, are also included in the Museum.
All of the artifacts are the subject of studies by researchers from various universities in Turkey and the world every year, and students of our university prepare various theses on the artifacts. In these studies, the Museum works together with the METU Conservation Laboratory, METU Department of Archaeometry, METU Department of Settlement Archaeology and METU Fine Arts Unit faculty members, and studies are carried out at the Museum within the scope of education faculties and museum programs of different universities.