If you are at Dokuma Park, the Car Museum should be near the top of the list of places you visit. For car enthusiasts, history lovers, and kids who enjoy looking at big trucks, it is a fascinating look through the automobiles that have left a mark in Turkey and Antalya, as well as the time periods in which they were used. As the mayor of Kepez Hakan Tütüncü stated before its opening, the Antalya Car Museum is a “very special culture and art space where nostalgia, history, and a love for cars come together and interact with each other.”
What does it offer?
Opened in May of 2022, the Car Museum offers over 70 different vehicles in two different sections. It is a very well air-conditioned space that is shiny and new and offers a trip down the path of Turkey’s automotive history. More than just cars on display, many of the vehicles are surrounded by realistic props and set pieces from the era the car was used. This makes it more entertaining for children and non-car enthusiasts. There are a plethora of Instagram-worthy spots throughout the museum, as the automobiles and trucks have been painstakingly restored.
A pleasant surprise was that all of the signage included translations in English, so more visitors can get an idea of the history and use of different vehicles. Granted, the translations appear to have just been done by Google, but they are close enough that you can get the general idea.
The older vehicles are found in the left section, and the newer vehicles on the right. But at the back of the right section there is also an exhibit featuring very old reconstructed airplanes, a trolley from Istanbul, and large trucks.
Insider Tips
- Like the Modern Art Gallery, the Car Museum was gloriously cool on a hot August day. Go there in the summer and leisurely stroll through the cars while enjoying the break from the heat!
- All of our kids enjoyed various parts of the museum, but our museum and history loving son definitely appreciated it the most. We wouldn’t plan on more than 30-45 minutes with kids unless they are serious car lovers. Note that you are not allowed touch any of the exhibits or vehicles.
- When we were there the bathroom was not in service, but there are bathrooms in the Cemil Meriç Library and the Modern Art Gallery close by.
- Only open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, we think a weekend visit is worth the trip. Our first visit was on a Friday just before lunch and no one was there. Our second visit was on a Friday afternoon around 3pm and it was really crowded, We recommend going in the morning if you want to linger at each sign without interruption.
- For now the museum is free to enter. Since most of the other museums are not free, we are not sure if it will stay that way. But to escape the heat for a while, we would gladly pay the 8TL for adults and 5TL for kids that the other museums at Dokuma Park cost if at some point they do charge for admission.
Getting There
Dokuma Park is easy to find by personal car between Erasta Mall and Özdilek Mall. There is a large parking lot on the west side that gives you easy entrance to the park, and the Car Museum is in the middle of the north side of the park. If you enter on the west side, turn left and go past the library. Next turn right at the Forest Library and you will see the Car Museum on the left just past the Forest Libary. Follow the signs for the Araba Müzesi.
If you want to take public transportation, the Fatih-Expo or Havalamanı tram goes right by the east side of the park. Get off at the Dokuma stop and follow the signs once you enter the park.
Address: Fabrikalar, Namık Kemal Blv. 07090 Kepez/Antalya
Opening hours: Friday – Sunday, 9:30am – 6:00pm
Cost: Free