Ankara's Ethnography Museum, set in a handsome white marble neo-classical building near the Anıtkabir, holds a collection of Anatolian folk art, Ottoman decorative arts, and regional crafts that rewards careful attention. The exhibits cover Seljuk woodcarving, Ottoman metalwork, traditional costume and jewellery from across Anatolia, and a significant collection of kilims and carpets. The calligraphy collection is particularly fine.
The building has an additional layer of historical significance: it served as the temporary resting place of Atatürk's body from 1938 until the mausoleum was completed in 1953. The room is preserved with the original sarcophagus and marble floor. Combined with a visit to Anıtkabir, the Ethnography Museum gives a rounded sense of how the Turkish republic has chosen to memorialise its founder.