Museum activities in Tokat began in 1926, when Halis Turgut Cinlioğlu, a retired teacher, started collecting historical artefacts from the surrounding area and storing them in Gökmedrese, a 13th-century Anatolian Seljuk madrasa. Tokat Museum, which houses archaeological, ethnographic and numismatic collections, moved in 2012 from Gökmedrese, where it had served visitors since 1926, to Tokat Bedesten, located in the historic Sulusokak district. Following exhibition and arrangement works in line with modern museology principles, the museum officially opened to visitors on 18 September 2012.
Tokat Bedesten
The building currently serving as Tokat Museum is located on Sulu Sokak in the city centre. Although it has no inscription indicating its exact construction date, its architectural features suggest that it may have been built in the 15th century during the reign of Sultan Mehmed I. Also known as Arastalı Bedesten, the building consists of three main sections: the central bedesten and the arasta (rows of shops) on its eastern and western sides. The central section is divided into nine units by four pairs of pillars, each covered with a dome. It has entrances on its northern and southern façades, as well as doors opening onto the arasta sections to the east and west. The arasta section, which is lower than the main building, contains twenty shops arranged opposite one another. The building is constructed of rubble stone and brick, with brick used throughout its arches and roof structure.
Archaeology Hall
The central section of Tokat Bedesten has been arranged as the Archaeology Hall. Archaeological excavations and research have revealed that the history of settlement in Tokat dates back to around 4000 BC. Artefacts belonging to the many civilisations that once inhabited the city are displayed in this hall.
The museum's archaeological collection includes finds from the excavations at Maşathöyük in Yalınyazı, Zile; ongoing excavations at the ancient city of Komana; rescue excavations conducted by the museum; and artefacts discovered in the province's districts and villages. These objects have entered the collection through donations, purchases and confiscations.
Among the most notable exhibits are Hittite tablets discovered at Maşathöyük, a sword dating from the Hellenistic Period, and a group of Roman bronze statues depicting Apollo, Poseidon, Nike and sacred animals associated with the gods.
Coin Collection
The numismatic section is located within the Archaeology Hall. Thanks to the number and diversity of its coins, Tokat Museum holds an important place among museums in Anatolia.
A significant part of the collection consists of silver coins from the Anatolian Seljuk period, discovered during a rescue excavation carried out by the museum in Niksar in 1982. The importance of this hoard lies not only in the large number of coins but also in the variety of cities where they were minted and the different sultans under whose reigns they were issued.
Another important part of the collection comprises Ottoman and Venetian gold coins discovered in 1985 during excavation works for an extension to the present-day Governor's Office building. The museum also houses a wide-ranging collection of coins representing all the civilisations that ruled in Tokat, from electrum coins—the earliest coins in history—to those of the late Ottoman Empire.
Ethnography Hall
The western arasta of the Bedesten has been arranged as the Ethnography Hall. The museum possesses a rich collection of ethnographic objects that reflect the lifestyle and culture of local communities, including everyday tools and objects, as well as items of historical, scientific and religious significance.
Among the most important exhibits are a handwritten Qur'an dating from AH 587 (AD 1191), from the Anatolian Seljuk period and recognised as the oldest known Qur'an manuscript in Anatolian museums and libraries, and ceramics produced in Tokat. Recent research identifies Tokat as the fourth major centre of Turkish ceramic production in Anatolia, after İznik, Kütahya and Çanakkale.
The Ethnography Hall also features a recreated traditional hand-block printing workshop, representing a craft with a history of approximately 600 years in Tokat.
Traditional Craft Workshops and Museum Garden
In a room facing the street, south of the western arasta, a traditional coppersmith's workshop has been recreated to introduce Tokat's copper craftsmanship. During the Ottoman period, Tokat was an important centre for copperworking.
Part of the eastern arasta is used as an artefact storage area, while the remaining section serves as the museum's administrative offices.
The front garden displays stone artefacts and large storage jars. On one side are Roman-era grave stelae, sarcophagi and column capitals; on the other are tomb chests, as well as Ottoman and Seljuk-era gravestones placed at the head and foot of graves.
