Kaman’s museum an attraction for Japanese tourists (pour ceux qui ont un compte Google, traduction en français approximative possible !)

The Kalehöyük Archaeology Museum in Kırşehir’s Kaman draws attention especially from Japanese tourists thanks to its architecture and artworks. The museum was opened with contributions from the Japanese government in 2010

AA Photo
The Kalehöyük Archaeology Museum is the first of its type in Turkey in terms of its architectural structure and museum management. It is home artifacts from various eras. 

A museum, established in the Anatolian province of Kırşehir’s Kaman district with support from the Japanese Foreign Affairs Ministry, saw 30,000 foreign and Turkish tourists, most of whom were Japanese, walk through its doors.

The Kaman Kalehöyük Archaeology Museum has been a significant key for the city’s tourism, Kırşehir Governor Özdemir Çakacak said. Excavations works have been carried out by the Japanese government in Kalehöyük since 1986 and the region is also home to a Japanese Garden and Archaeology Institute, he said.

A unique arcitecture

The Kalehöyük Archaeology Museum in Kaman’s Çağırkan district draws crowds thanks to its unique architecture and incredible selection of artworks, according to the mayor. “Japanese tourists, who are very interested in history and culture, pay special attention to the museum, which was established by their own government,” he said.

The museum received 30,000 tourists in 2012, according to Çakacak. “When we consider that nearly 90,000 tourists visit the Cappadocia region every year, we see that we have a very good potential for tourists. Kaman is home to a museum where artworks unearthed by Japanese archaeologists during excavations are on display, as well as a Japanese garden. There is also the Archaeology Institute next to the museum. They are very important tourist attractions. Japanese tourists are especially very curious about both the museum and the institute. We want to draw the interest of Japanese people to the city center,” he said.

Kırşehir Mayor Yaşar Bahçeci had plans to establish a Japanese garden, a Japanese house and an archaeology museum in the city center. “The goal is to increase the variety of Japanese tourist attractions besides the thermal. They show big interest especially in Cappadocia. We are working to draw Japanese tourists, who come to Cappadocia, to send a few days in Kırşehir. When we’ve succeed at it, Kırşehir’s city center will host more foreign tourists. We have thermal hotels in the center. A new and big thermal hotel was also opened recently,” Çakacak said.

Minister Günay and Japanese prince open doors

The Kalehöyük Archaeology Museum, which displays artifacts unearthed during the Kaman Kalehöyğk excavations that were initiated in 1986 with contributions from Japanese scientists, has a mound-shaped architecture. It was opened July 10, 2010, at a ceremony attended by Japanese Prince Tomohito Mikasa and Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay.

The museum is the first of its type in Turkey in terms of its architectural structure and museum management. It is home to artifacts from the Iron Age, Hittite and Assyrian Trade Colonies era, early and late Bronze Age and the Ottoman era.

The museum aims at educating visitors, especially children and uses 3D animations for the first time in Turkey. Also, seals in the museum can be seen on 3D screens. The small-scale mockup of the ancient site of Kalehöyük as well as unclassified archaeological materials, which visitors can touch, also draws attention from visitors. The museum also received the “Green Good Design Award” in 2010.

January/08/2013