Archaeology Museum
The first museum in Diyarbakır was created in 1934 at the Senceriye (Zinciriye) Medrese (theological school) which is an extension of Ulu Cami (Grand Mosque). It moved to its new premises on Elazığ Street in 1985.
Pieces, starting with the Neolithic Age and including those from Old Bronz, Urartu, Assyrian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, Akkoyunlu and Ottoman periods are displayed in chronological order. Coins from different eras, most of them coming from the Artuklu period, and local artifacts of ethnographic character are also exhibited at the museum.
Ziya Gökalp Museum - Residence
The house, which is one of the typical example of civic architecture of Diyarbakır, was built in 1808. It is a two storey structure built with black basalt stone and designed in two sections for men and women. Its different spaces are arranged around an innercourt yard. One of the facades is a double arched antechamber with a portico, which, with the pool located in this section, offers a pleasant sitting area
The house is adorned with the white decorations which the locals call "ciz" or "kehal", and there are inscriptions in Arabic over some of the doors.
This house, where the famous scholar Ziya Gökalp was born in 1876 was purchased from his inheritors in 1953 and was opened to public as a Museum - Residence on March 23, 1956. Ethnographic artifacts of the region are also displayed in addition to the personal belongings of the writer.
Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı Museum - Residence (Cultural Museum)
The history of the building which is located on Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı Street in the Cami-i Kebir Section of the city at Diyarbakır's center goes back to 1820. It has survived to present as one of the most beautiful examples of the Diyarbakır civic architecture.
The house was originally built on the basis of men's and women's quarters but the male quarters (selamlık) was later torn down. It is a two storey structure built from cut black basalt stone.
An introvert architectural lay - out was adopted for this building where all the facades are oriented towards an inner court yard. The single storey wooden entarence opens up to the court yard with a corridor.
The various spaces are arranged behind the facades taking seasonal climatic conditions into consideration. The white decorations called "cız" or "kehal" were also used here, in their best form.
The House of Cahit Sıtkı Tarancı was transferred to our Ministry in 1973. It was rearranged with the personal belongings of the poet and artifacts of ethnographic value from Diyarbakır area, and opened to public as a museum - residence.