Troy Treasures Çanakkale Museum: The Story of Artifacts & Where Exhibited

The treasures of Troy, one of the most famous archaeological finds of the ancient world, came to light during Heinrich Schliemann’s excavations on Hisarlık Hill in Çanakkale in the 1870s. These works carry traces not only of the mythical Trojan War but also of the rich culture of the Bronze Age. So where are these treasures today? Which pieces are on display at the Çanakkale Troy Museum, and what are their stories?

The treasures of Troy, Heinrich Schliemann discovered it in 1873 in the excavations on Hisarlık Hill. Schliemann named the 8,831-piece collection he found (gold jewellery, earrings, bracelets, silver vessels and beads) Priam Treasure he named it. Later research, however, showed that these works the Troy II layer (2500–2300 BCE) and that they date to about 1,000 years before the Trojan War told in Homer’s Iliad.

Schliemann took them from the Ottoman Empire to Germany by unlawful means. After the Second World War part of the treasure was taken to Moscow by the Soviet Union and today Pushkin Museum is on display. The other pieces Berlin Archaeology Museum (Neues Museum), British Museum (London), Pennsylvania Museum (USA), Hermitage Museum (Saint Petersburg) and Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York) are in institutions like these.

In recent years Türkiye diplomatic approaches recovered some works. In particular the 24-piece gold jewellery group returned from the Penn Museum in the USA (Troy Jewellery), now Çanakkale Troy Museum is on display on the land it belongs to.

Çanakkale Troy Museum

opened in 2018, Troy Museum, stands at the entrance of Hisarlık Hill and hosts a large part of the works found in the Troy excavations. The museum’s collection includes:

• sculptures, sarcophagi, inscriptions and metal vessels taken from the excavation area
• Everyday objects and ceramics
• Returned works: brought back from the USA the 24-piece gold jewellery group (Troy Jewellery)
• exhibitions that tell the layers of Troy
• sections that present the excavation history visually

The museum, has 4 floors and each floor focuses on a different theme:

• Ground floor: works from other nearby towns
• 1st floor: the layers of Troy and the periods lived there
• 2nd floor: finds uncovered in the excavations
• 3rd floor: the past of the Troy excavations

Troy Museum, its location near the Troy archaeological site offers visitors the chance to experience the history of the ancient city and the excavation together.

Museums abroad

The other pieces of the Troy treasures are still on display abroad:

• Pushkin Museum (Moscow, Russia): a large part of the treasure Schliemann took away
• Neues Museum (Berlin, Germany): ceramics, stone axes and bronze tools
• British Museum (London, England): a two-handled silver cup and ceramics
• Penn Museum (Pennsylvania, USA): 11 pieces of gold
• Hermitage Museum (Saint Petersburg, Russia): some gold pieces
• Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, USA): some ceramics

Türkiye, for the return of these works, cultural diplomacy work continues. At the Çanakkale Troy Museum, photographs and information on works taken abroad are also included, aiming to remind visitors of the lands these treasures belong to.

When people say treasures of Troy, the first thing that Priam Treasure comes first to mind, the Çanakkale Troy Museum also holds other striking works:

• Altıkulaç Sarcophagus: found in Altıkulaç village in Çan district, whose painted parts remain original a rare sarcophagus. The hunting and battle scenes, depicting Persian and Hellenic soldiers. The sarcophagus measures 241x95x85 cm and tells the story of a warrior on horseback.
• Troy Jewellery: returned from the USA 24-piece gold jewellery group, one of the symbols of Troy’s rich culture.
• The Layers of Troy: On the museum’s 1st floor, Troy layers I–IX and the historical importance of each is told in detail.
• Excavation history: on the 3rd floor, the story of the Troy excavations from Schliemann to today is presented with visual materials.

• Troy Museum, a 5-minute walk from the Troy archaeological site . Visiting both places on the same day is ideal.
• The museum, a modern display approach that presents the history of Troy and the excavation together it has adopted. The exhibitions with simulations and visual materials are supported.
• Museum Pass if you want information on entry conditions for holders, How to get a Museum Pass and validity query guide you can read that page.
• Troy's its mythological story and its archaeological importance in more detail, Türkiye’s Most Famous Museum Works: Their Stories and Importance you can read our article.
• For other museums and cultural routes to visit in Çanakkale Museums to Visit in Çanakkale: 2026 Visitor Guide you can look at our guide.