Effects of archaeological collection on museums in the Single-Party Period of Republic of Turkey

Culture policies and archeology museums in the single-party period of the Republic of Turkey were analyzed. Museums, which were affected by culture policies applied in terms of Turkish nation-state model, were studied. In consideration of a solid analyze of culture policies in the single-party period, culture policies and museums formed in the last period of Ottoman Empire were examined, and compared with the republican period.Museology activities of the single-state party period began in coordination with archeology discipline. Museums were shaped within culture policies of Republic of Turkey constituted by the nation-state formations. In addition to the movement of westernization in the single-party period, museums shaped by national constituents gained many works through archeological excavations. Museums had also cultural contribution to the formation of Turkish identity. Within the Turkish Historical Thesis formed in that period, a connection between Hittites and Turkish identity was constituted. Excavations between 1933 and 1950 were operated by Turkish Historical Society in order to find especially works of this civilization. It is such that, museums were founded in various places around Anatolia by means of national excavations. Museology activities in the single-party period were operated in coordination with state universities, ministries, and even Turkish Historical Society founded in that period. The connection between all these foundations and museology were explained.In this work, the developments of national excavations in accordance with a certain plan, founded archeology museums and collections in the single-party period were highlighted. Although museums were founded in that period under the influence of a certain ideology, they have become essential for the foundation of many archeology museums today.Keywords: Nation-state, the Single-party period of the Republic of Turkey, National Excavations, Archeology Museums, Halkevleri, Turkish Identity, Hittites