Aydın museum was established in one room of Zafer Primary School in 1959 and museum activities were carried out in this room for long years. These activities were transferred to the new museum after 1973. Aydın archaeology and ethnography museum had been the owner of rich collections with the works brought from Aydın and its districts.
The museum is located in a large garden. Stone works of various times which came from ancient cities of Aydın such as Tralleis, Magnesia, Alinda, Alabanda, Nysa, Amyzon, Piginda, Harpasa, Myus, Pygela, Orthosia, Mastaura are being exhibited in the garden. These works consist of statues, tombs, columns and abacuses, altars, Islamic gravestones and milestones.
Exhibition appears in three sections in the museum halls.
1. Archaeology Section
2. Coin Section
3. Ethnographic Works Section
Archaeology Hall
The works in archaeology section are being exhibited according to a chronological order. Beside prehistoric works, it is possible to see the most beautiful examples of Hellenistic, Rome, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman Period. These are axes, cutting and drilling tools, idols, spindle whorls, ceramic samples made of cooked soil, oil lamps, masks and small statues, glass objects, gold, silver and bronze jewelry, medical tools, make-up materials and guns. Some most beautiful examples of Hellenistic period Tralleis sculpture are as follows: Athena bust, Nike statue, Satyr statue, various statue and embossments ornament the archaeology halls. Many terracottas, oil lamps, unguentariums and toy figurines found during digs in Tralleis necropolis constitute a special collection.
Coin Hall
Gold, silver, cupper and bronze coins of various civilisations such as Greek, Rome, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman are being exhibited in this section.
Ethnography Hall
Ethnography hall is the section where the richest art works of the region are being exhibited. Woven samples such as carpets, woven matting, rugs and sumach; zeybek cloths, embroidered woman cloths, embroidered headgears; silver jewelry such as belts, necklaces, bracelets, earings and rings; bath sets, handwritten Koran and books, cigarette holders; copper kitchen vessels such as bowls, large deep copper dishes, kettles, travelling food boxes, cauldrons and round metal trays; wooden works such as mortars, coffee-mills, coffee cooler and clogs; weapons such as swords, daggers, flint-lock guns and pistols are being exhibited in this ethnography hall.