As the pioneer of many innovations in Turkish higher education system and the initiator of many firsts, Middle East Technical University hosts thousands of visitors every year in its museums located in the campus area.
METU Archaeology Museum:
The Archaeological Museum, one of the firsts in METU, was founded in 1969 at METU as the first university museum in Turkey, although the University does not offer bachelor’s degree in this field. The Early Bronze Age (3000-2000 BC) findings from the archaeological sites of Koçumbeli, located within the boundaries of the METU Campus, the Late Frig Age (6th century BC) findings from the Yalıncak archaeological excavation area and the works obtained from the studies conducted by METU researchers in four of the 14 tumuli located in the Phrygian necropolis between Atatürk Orman Çiftliği and Bahçelievler (about 7th century BC) are on display at the METU Archaeological Museum, which continues its activity as a “private museum” under the roof of the Research Center for Historical Environment Values (TAÇDAM).
Visiting Days and Hours: Weekdays 09:30-12:30 & 14:00-17:00 (Please make an appointment for group visits.)
Tel: (0 312) 210 22 09/210 42 17/210 42 31/210 42 32
e-mail: tacdam@metu.edu.tr
METU Geological Museum:
Located on the ground floor of the Geological Engineering Department in a 150-m2 corridor, the Geology Museum was founded in 1995. Since the foundation of the department in 1963, precious stones and historical mining works are also on display in the museum that has been hosting thousands of minerals, rocks and fossils collected by its members and alumni or donated by collectors. Turkey’s one of the oldest geological maps prepared in 1867, laboratory materials used by former students in the department laboratory and samples of industrial building stones from Turkey’s well-known landmarks and other countries are also exhibited in the museum. The museum can be visited free weekdays between 9.00-17.00.
METU Community and Science Research and Application Center (TBM):
The Community and Science Research and Application Center (TBM), one of METU’s firsts,was founded in 2006 as Turkey’s first Community and Science Center. In TBM accommodating various exhibition areas, centers and workshops, Maker Space area where children at school age can conduct practical studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics was opened with the help of LEGO Education as well as three different (3D) printers, coding, and Göbeklitepe workshops.
In the open air exhibition area in TBM; agricultural equipment and large-scale objects such as aircraft and locomotives are exhibited.
In the classic automobiles exhibition; the replica of the first car designed and produced in our country, Devrim Car, made for the movie “Devrim Cars” and the classical automobiles of many brands such as Chevrolet, Pontiac, Citroen, Mercedes and Anadol, classic motorcycles manufactured by BMW and completed its useful life and a Massey Harris brand tractor are on display.
Science and Technology History Exhibition includes the illustrations of the development of science and technology throughout Anatolia, the working spaces of some professions in the Ottoman and Republican periods, the belongings which had a significant place in our daily life in the near past, but lost their value of use today, and the personal belongings of the important figures who made their mark in the recent history of our country.
In the Science Center; there are over 70 different interactive exhibitions where scientific subjects such as Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Light and Optics, Sound and Waves, Perception, Environment, Mathematics and Intelligence are presented in an understandable and entertaining way, and students can try with themselves or their friends/teachers/parents.
The planetarium starts with the introduction of the Stellarium program and continues with one of the shows titled Astronot (Astronaut), Evrendeki Vaha (Oasis in the Universe), Bizler Gökbilimciyiz (We are Astronomers), Yaşayan İklimimiz (Our Living Climate) and Muhteşem Teleskop (Spectacular Telescope).
To visit the exhibition grounds in the Community and Science Center and make an appointment to join the workshops, please see https://tbm.metu.edu.tr/.
