Seismic report sparks debate over Antalya museum closure

ANTALYA

A dispute has erupted over an earthquake safety report concerning the Antalya Archaeology Museum, closed on July 16 after authorities declared it structurally unsafe, raising questions over whether the closure and planned demolition are justified.

Hanging at the entrance of the museum, the report concluded that the museum buildings do not meet the performance standards of Türkiye’s earthquake code.

It specifically noted that the museum’s foundations are inadequate, with insufficient load-bearing capacity and unusually small dimensions for the structures. It also emphasized that the buildings’ current condition posed significant risks to visitors and to the artifacts housed inside.

However, the president of a local chamber of civil engineers, Soner Akdoğan, challenged the process, claiming the report was prepared only after the museum had already been closed.

He argued that the building, completed in the 1970s with an additional section constructed in 2002, could be reinforced, especially since it is largely a single-story structure on what he described as stable ground.

According to Akdoğan, the 2002 section likely does not pose serious earthquake risks, and the current plan does not represent a prudent use of public funds.

“Instead of spending 3 billion Turkish Liras ($72.7 million) to demolish and rebuild, which still won’t solve storage problems, the existing structure could be strengthened at much lower cost,” Akdoğan said.

He suggested that funds could be used to build a second museum or a cultural center in the city, which currently lacks a proper venue for events such as the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival.

Akdoğan further criticized the lack of transparency, saying the chamber had requested the full technical report but received only a few pages summarizing conclusions.

“We do not understand why they are hiding the report if it really exists and has been done correctly,” he said.

The museum’s closure and planned demolition also previously sparked public protests, with citizens voicing their opposition.