Istanbul Museums

Istanbul Museums of Our Time

In the city, there are museums that take place among the marked museums of the world. Products of civilization founded in Anatolia and Mesopotamia over a period of thousands of years, starting in prehistorical ages, can be seen in these museums.

Archeological Museum: Archeological museum is formed of 3 sections:

Classical Archaeological Museum: It is located between the Gulhane Park and the Topkapi Palace.It was built by Architect Vallery (1891-1908). Its architecture resembles of the Greek Temples. In this museum, works of various cultures from Anatolia and outside up to Byzantium times are being exhibited.
Ancient Oriental Works Museum: It is next to the archaeological museum.Works here are being exhibited in four main parts, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia and Arabia. The museum was rearranged between 1963-1973 according to contemporary museological understanding.
Mosaics Museum: It is formed of the buildings of Sultan Ahmet Complex. Here the 4th and 5th century mosaics obtained in excavations made in 1935 are being exhibited.

Military Museum: The museum initially opened in Hagia Irene Church, later (1950) was moved to the 1 St Army Headquarters building in Harbiye. Historical guns, clothing and tools of various periods of the army are being exhibited and the old military band team gives concerts in the museum.

Asiyan Museum: It is located on the ridges of Rumelia Fort. It is the house where Poet Tevfik Fikret lived. It was converted to a museum in 1995. Literary works and personal belongings of the Poet are being exhibited here.

Ataturk Museum: It is located in Sisli. It is the house where Ataturk lived with his mother and sister before he went to Anatolia. It was converted to museum in 1942. Personal belongings of Atatürk are being exhibited here.

Hagia Irene and Hagia Sophia: These buildings are the museums which exhibit their own characteristics. Exhibitions and concerts are being arranged here.

Municipality Museum: It is in the Gazenfer Aga Madrassah, underneath the Bozdogan aqueduct on the Ataturk Boulevard. Pictures and plans of Istanbul and goods used in various periods are being exhibited in the museum.

Tiled Kiosk: In 1472, it was ordered by Fatih Sultan Mehmet to be built connected to the Topkapi Palace. Turkish tiles and ceramics are being exhibited in this museum.

Naval Museum: The museum initially opened in Dolmabahce Mosque, was then moved to Besiktas. Goods and documents of Turkish navigation history are being exhibited in the museum.

Classical Turkish Literature Museum: It is located in Yuksekkaldirim. Manuscripts related to Muslim religion and literature are being exhibited here. Fire-Brigade Museum: It is situated on the Itfaiye Street in Fatih.

Fire tools and vehicles used by old local fire-brigade teams in various periods are being exhibited.

Paintings and Sculpture Museum (1937): It is located in Besiktas. Works of the famous Turkish Sculptors and painters are being exhibited here.

Rumeli Hisari Museum (1950): The building exhibits its own characteristics. Concerts are given in Rumeli Hisari from time to time.

Health Museum: It is situated on Divanyolu Street. Graphics, writings and statistics are being exhibited here.

Tanzimat (Reforms) Museum: It is situated in the Ihlamur Summerhouse in Besiktas. A good number of goods, paintings and monuments related to Reformation period are exhibited here.

Turkish and Islamic Works Museum: It is in the hospice building of the Suleymaniye Complex (1913) where Turkish and Islamic works are being exhibited.

Yedikule Museum: It is called Yedikule dungeons. It has been the scene of important events of Byzantium and Ottoman histories. It was used as a prison

Topkapi Palace Museum (1924): Various rich collections are being exhibited in separate sections in the Topkapi Palace Museum. Chinese and Japanese Porcelains are exhibited in the kitchen of the Palace. Personal clothings and belongings of sultans are exhibited in the second courtyard. Treasury objects and priceless jewelry are exhibited in treasury section. Portraits of sultans and famous paintings given as gift are exhibited on the left of the Directorate building. In the Prophet's Mantle department, holy objects of Prophet Muhammed and of four khalifes are exhibited under the name of relics. Valuable manuscripts are being exhibited in Agalar Mosque, a variety of arms are on show in the internal Treasury.

Yerebatan Palace: Justinianus I, Byzantium Emperor, had the cistern be constructed in the 6th century (565). The old name was Basilica cistern. The palace takes its name due to its ornamented column heads. Today, it is used as a museum.

Dolmabahçe Palace: Initially Dolmabahce Summer Palace and the Timber kiosk were built by Ahmed I, in the beginning of the l7th century. The present palace was built in 1853 in the time of Sultan Abdulmecit. It is located in Besiktas. Today it is being used as a museum.

Beylerbeyi Palace: Sultan Abdulaziz had Balyan Usta construct the palace in 1865. It is on the shore in Beylerbeyi. Today it is being used as a museum.

Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art : Proje4L ‘Istanbul Museum of Contemporary Art’,which was closed in order to convert to being a contemporary art museum was re-opened at the same location on the 25th of December, 2004 under the name, Proje4L ‘Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art’.

For three years, Proje4L ‘Istanbul Museum of Contemporary Art’ provided an opportunity for new developments in Turkish contemporary art, helped young artists to gain recognition within the international art scene and organized international exhibitions and conferences. Now it hosts the permanent collection of its founders, Sevda&Can Elgiz. ‘Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art’, is a non profit organisation dedicated to increasing the profile of contemporary art in Turkey.

Consisting of works by influential Turkish and International artists, ‘The Elgiz Collection’ represents a wide range of progressive art in different media and illustrates the unerring passion for collecting of it’s founders. The objective at the ‘Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art’ is to create a common message through Turkish and International art, promoting visual and cultural diversity. By integrating the work of Turkish artists with that of established International artists the museum effectively facilitates the globalization of Turkish art.

‘Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art’ organizes lectures and seminars in its conference space by inviting International collectors to share their enthusiasm and their experiences in collecting art.

Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art is open from 10 : 00 – 18 : 00, Wednesday, thursday, Friday; from 10 : 00 – 16 : 00 on Saturday; and tuesdays by appointment.
No Entrance Fee.

Art Galleries in Istanbul