Ankara MTA Şehit Cuma DAĞ Natural History Museum

MTA Şehit Cuma Dağ Natural History Museum

Türkiye's first and unique Natural History Museum was built on February 7, 1968, under the supervision of the General Directorate of Mineral Research and exploration, and in 2003 the museum moved to its last building. Exhibition halls of the Natural History Museum have displayed 5000 important and valuable samples which are gathered from Türkiye and the rest of the world.

The museum building consists of 4 floors with the ground floor. On the ground floor of Martyr Cuma Dağ Natural History Museum; you will have the chance to experience a journey into deep space, and to get information about the planets of the solar system, here in this section, you will be able to see the samples of thunder stone, and also the messengers of the deep space meteorites. Space balance, global imaging system “Science On Sphere”, dome-shaped three-dimensional display system “Planetarium”, “Education and Application Area”, “Temporary Exhibition Area”, “Conference Hall”, “Consultant Desk” and “Souvenir Sales Department” and “Visually Impaired Section” is also found in this floor.

 In the specially prepared section for our visually impaired visitors, they can benefit from the showcases holding the miniature models of each section of the museum, and the samples exhibited in open windows are presented with labels written in the Braille alphabet. Also, the Diorama Section on this floor holds samples of the flora and fauna of Türkiye. In this section, extinct or endangered species like the Anatolian panther (Panthera pardus tulliana) found in Beypazarı, Ankara in 1974 are displayed with visualizations of their proper living environments. A 3500 years old Maraş elephant (Elephas maximus asurus);17-10 million years old fossil of Gomphotherium angustidens (a proboscidean) and the section of giant rhinoceros which lived 28-23 million years ago around Çankırı-Çorum Basin; the skeleton of a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that hit the shores of Yumurtalık, Adana in 2002; the moulages of 140 million years old Allosaurus fragilis (a carnivorous dinosaur) and 67-65,5 million years old Tyrannosaurus rex; 280 million years old fossil of Mesosaurus brasiliensis, a freshwater reptile and a 193 million years old fossil of a giant ammonite found at Koserelik, Ankara are also exhibited in this floor. 

On the Second Floor of the Systematic Mineralogy Exhibition, samples from the building blocks of Earth’s crust, and minerals are displayed. Rocks which are naturally occurring substances, solid aggregates of one or more minerals; can be observed in the Rocks Section. Underground Resources of Türkiye Section holds metallic ores, industrial and energy raw material specimens, and the basic materials of tools, equipment, and materials of our daily lives.

Scintillating, glamorous, colorful crystals that are the wonder of nature, obtained from Türkiye and the rest of the world await our visitors in the Gemstones Section. On the Second Floor, our visitors can also observe mining tools which are the witnesses of the development of mining, along with the social and cultural development of humankind in the Mining History of Türkiye Section. “Cupellation” and “Cementation” sections and model of the “Mining in the Bronze Age” are also displayed on this floor.

The Science Tunnel on the third floor was built in 2017. The geological heritage areas of our country, the safari parks of South Africa, the eye-catching colorful world of flowers, and the diversity of underwater reefs can be watched in this section.

In our museum, there are also Paleontology, Mineralogy-Petrography-Gemology Laboratories, and “Archives” where nearly 100.000 samples are stored. Martyr Cuma Dağ Natural History Museum introduces samples of the Earth's geological history in the light of the available data, in the framework of a training mission, in order to create awareness of nature conservation through "Traveling Museum Activities", " Educational Prepared Minerals and Rocks Sets” being sent to schools around Türkiye and "Scientific Research Projects”.

In 2019, Museum: had 366.771 visitors, and Energy Park: had 217.914 visitors, TOTAL: 5of 84.685 visitors.

MARTYR MEHMET ALAN ENERGY PARK:

Martyr Mehmet Alan Energy Park, which is located on the campus of our General Directorate, has been serving as a part of the Natural History Museum since 2013. Renewable energy sources and fossil fuel types are exhibited in the Energy Park where sections of institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources are also found. There are sections where production and energy usage are explained with models and information boards, coal galleries, and oil well models which are located in the garden area. In October 2017, “Wind Turbine” and “Solar Panel” were put into service; with this system, which uses wind energy and solar energy together and is called “Hybrid Technology”, the energy requirement of the Energy Park is met up to a maximum of 8 kWh. With this project put into service, the energy cost of both the General Directorate of MTA and Şehit Mehmet Alan Energy Park is minimized, contributing to the economy of our country.