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Photo: Kurt Kulac, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Launched in Paisley in 1878, this small freighter-cum-ferry plied the Med, and took its best-known name (for a Marmara sea port) in 1910. In 1919 it conveyed Mustafa Kemal Pasha here to supervise the disbanding of defeated Ottoman troops; but instead he rallied the troops and began the war for Turkish independence. The ship retired in 1924 and was scrapped, but a full-scale replica was built, and opened in 2006 as a museum of those days. There isn't much English, so be ready with your translator.
SS Bandırma was an Ottoman mixed-freight ship, which became famous for her historical role in taking Mustafa Kemal Pasha (Atatürk) from Constantinople (today-Istanbul) to Samsun in May 1919 that marked the establishment of the Turkish national movement.
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Canik Oyuncak Müzesi
Old toys of all kinds, mostly dolls.
Toptepe Tümülüsleri
This hill would make a great tourist attraction, and the city probably thought so too many years ago, as the abandoned concrete structures imply. At 140m with no obstructions, you get a far better view of the city than you get from the actually developed Amisos hill. In fact, it's probably the best natural view you'll get over a city anywhere in Turkey.
Samsun Kent Müzesi
This was a hotel when Atatürk stayed, and it later served as accommodation for railway construction workers. In 2011 it became a museum of city history.
Gazi Müzesi
"Gazi" also translates as "heroes", and this documents Atatürk's activities in Samsun, with old photos, maps and personal items.
Kuva-i Milliye Müzesi
Shambolic museum of the independence struggle, in which nothing works. Where's a strong capable leader when you need one?
Small nature reserve with boardwalks over wetland forested with ash and elm. Picnic and sports area, restaurant and toilets.