Aksehir Nasreddin Hodja Archaeology and Ethnography Museum

The Nasreddin Hodja Archaeology and Ethnography Museum is located in Konya. The building originally served as the Rüştü Bey Mansion and was constructed by Rüştü Bey, one of the prominent figures of Akşehir.

Rüştü Bey, who had the mansion built, played an important role in the development of Akşehir. Two significant structures in the district bear his name: the Rüştü Bey Inn, built in 1904, and the Rüştü Bey Mansion, whose construction began at the start of the First World War. After demolishing his father Mustafa Ağa’s house on the same plot, the mansion’s construction first began under Armenian masters and was later completed by Turkish masters. Designed as a two-storey twin house with wooden supports, adobe and stone materials on the basement and ground floor, the building housed Rüştü Bey in one section and his sons in the other.

Akşehir has long been home to different ethnic communities, creating a rich and mixed cultural texture. Because of this, architectural elements from various traditions—especially those of traditional Turkish houses—are commonly seen throughout the city. The Rüştü Bey Mansion clearly reflects these diverse cultural influences.

Registered by the Supreme Council of the Ministry of Culture on 15 November 1985 with the number 1569, the mansion was expropriated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 1989. Restoration began in 1992. Later converted into the “Nasreddin Hodja Archaeology and Ethnography Museum,” the mansion has largely preserved its original structure. Built as a twin house, it consists of two floors above a basement and ground level. The ground floor contains six rooms and includes the Ethnographic and Archaeological Artifact Storage Area as well as administrative offices. The second floor hosts the archaeological exhibition, arranged in rooms organized by chronological periods, with three rooms on each side.

The third floor is dedicated to ethnographic displays. One section features rooms presenting scenes from Nasreddin Hodja’s anecdotes and a traditional Akşehir bridal room. The opposite section displays additional ethnographic items. In the central hall, visitors can view 13th-century woodwork, including the gate of the Seyyid Mahmud Hayrânî Tomb and a chest belonging to the Sheikh Eyüb Tomb.