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Museums in Istanbul

Archaeological Museum

This complex was build by the end of 19th century by the architect Vallaury thanks to great efforts of famous Turkish painter Osman Hamdi Bey. It includes the exquisite Tiled Kiosk and the Museum of the Ancient Orient and houses a large collection of artifacts and works of art belonging to ancient Greek, Roman and other Anatolian civilizations dating back to the 6th century BC. The Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, Sarcophagus of Mourning Ladies, and other ancient sarcophagi and various objects found in the Sidon excavation are among its most interesting pieces.

Ancient Eastern Archeological Museum was designed and open to service in 1917 by Halil Eldem Bey. The collection on displays comprised of about 15000 archeological pieces of Ancient Mesopotamia, Pre-Greek Anatolia, Assyrian, Sumerian, Acadian, Babylonian, Ancient Egyptian and Pre-Islamic Arabic culture.

Open daily between 09:00-16:30
Osman Hamdi Bey Yokusu, Gulhane, Eminonu
Tel: (212) 520 77 40 and 41
Admission: Euro 15, or its equivalent in Turkish Liras

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History of Ayasofya Museum

The 20th century building of Directorate of Land Registry is recently restored and turned into the History of Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia) museum. Located in the heart of Istanbul, this museum takes visitors on a journey through time and showcases the beauty and complexity of one of the world's most significant landmarks. The sounds and effects used in the display areas give visitors a unique experience and guide you at various stages of Hagia Sophia's history as you pass from one hall to another with audio-visual guidance. There are also exhibition areas in the lower floor, as well as a cafeteria and museum shop on the ground floor.

Open daily between 08:00-20:00
Sultanahmet Square
Tel: 0850 346 33 36
Admission: Euro 25, or its equivalent in Turkish Liras

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Fethiye Mosque (Pammakaristos Church) Museum

The Byzantine church was built in 1261 and dedicated to the Virgin "Pammakaristos", The Most Happy. After the Conquest of Constantinople in 1453, it was used as a nunnery and it became the see of Christian Orthodox Patriarchate from 1455 until 1587, then converted into a mosque changing its name to Fethiye. Its parekleison (burial corridor) was opened as a museum recently where you can see beuatiful Byzantine mosaics and some frescoes from 14th century.

Click here for a detailed information on Fethiye Mosque Museum.

Open daily between 09:30-16:30 except Wednesdays.
PS: Museum is CLOSED for restorations
Fethiye Camii, Çarsamba - Fatih

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The Ataturk Museum

House where Ataturk lived and worked before the War of Independence during his stay in Istanbul between 1918 and 1919, originally was built in 1908 and restored by the Municipality of Istanbul in 1943, opening to the public in 1981. Top floor of this building was reserved to His mother Zubeyde Hanim and His sister Makbule, meanwhile Ataturk used middle floor for himself and lower floor for His loyal officer.

On display are photographs of Ataturk from his birth until his death, as well as some of his clothes, personal belongings and paintings.

Open daily between 09:30-16:00 except Thursdays and Sundays.
Halaskargazi Caddesi No:250, Sisli
Tel: (212) 240 63 19

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Asiyan Museum

This museum is the former residence of famous Turkish poet Tevfik Fikret (1867-1915) who constructed the building himself. In addition to an exhibit of the personal belongings of Fikret, there is a room devoted to the poet Nigar Hanim and displaying some of the belongings of Abdulhak Hamit. It's located in Asiyan neighborhood on the Bosphorus.

Open daily between 09:00-16:00 except Sundays and Mondays.
Asiyan Yokusu, Bebek
Tel: (212) 263 69 86

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Calligraphy Museum

The Beyazid Medresse, which was used as the municipality library since 1945 was evacuated, restored and reorganized as the Turkish Calligraphic Arts Museum. It has interesting and valuable examples of the Turkish art of the pen, Korans, imperial seals, diplomas, Hilye-i serif (descriptions of the Prophet), equipment and apparatus for calligraphic writing, samples of bookbinding, holy relics and miniatures, especially from Ottoman and Seljuk periods.

Open daily between 09:00-16:00 except Sundays and Mondays.
Beyazit Meydani, Eminonu
Tel: (212) 527 58 51

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Sadberk Hanim Museum

Founded by the Vehbi Koc Foundation in 1980 in the historical Azaryan residence along the Bosphorus, this museum is a beautiful three-story "yali" (old Ottoman house) and houses a rich collection of Anatolian-based works of art, antiques and relics dating from 6000 BC. It is the first private museum of Turkey opened by Koc family, the richest of Turkey.

Open daily between 10:00-17:00 except Wednesdays.
Piyasa Caddesi No:27-29, Buyukdere - Sariyer
Tel: (212) 242 38 13 and 14
Admission: 50 TL

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Istanbul Museum of Modern Art

Opened its doors in December 2004, this is the first museum of modern and contemporary art in Istanbul. Committed to sharing Turkey's artistic creativity and cultural identity with the local and international art worlds, the museum hosts a broad array of interdisciplinary activities. It offers a variety of cultural activities in its permanent and temporary exhibition halls, photography gallery, spaces for educational and social programs, library, cinema, cafe and souvenir shop located in its new modern building at the port. One can find in this private museum almost everything on modern Turkish Arts.

Galataport No:1/1, Tophane
Tel: (212) 334 73 00
Admission: 200 TL

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Painting & Sculpture Museum

The museum was opened in 1937 in the crown prince suites of Dolmabahce Palace by the order of Ataturk. It was the first art museum in Turkey and was the only one in Istanbul until recently. The permanent collection presents a panoramic view of the Turkish plastic arts from Ottoman to modern Turkish art, and also includes works of world famous artists, an impressionist collection, sculptures and works of military painters in several halls and display rooms. Occasionally, there are also painting courses during the year.

Open daily between 12.00-16.00 except Mondays.
GalataPort, Tophane
Tel: (212) 261 42 98 and 99
Admission: 300 TL

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Caricature Museum

This museum was opened in 1975 in Tepebasi by the Istanbul Municipality through the efforts of the Caricaturists Association, then temporarily closed down in 1980 as the building where it was housed was torn down and later re-opened in its new site in Fatih district.

The Gazanfer Aga complex, which consists of an Ottoman medrese, a shrine and a fountain in Sarachanebasi, was restored for use as the new structure. Re-opened in 1989, the museum contains a rich collection of satirical works, written or drawn, and the exhibits are frequently changed.

Open daily between 10.00-18.00
Ataturk Bulvari, Kovacilar Sokak No:12, Fatih
Tel: (212) 521 12 64 or 249 95 65

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Carpet & Kilim Museum

This museum is located just behind Hagia Sophia. The museum has unique pieces of old Ottoman prayer rugs and kilims.

Temporarily closed !
Ayasofya imareti, Sultanahmet

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City Museum

The museum was first located in the Bayezit Municipal Library from the year 1939 until it was moved to the Fine Arts building of the Yildiz Palace complex in 1988. On display are paintings depicting the social life of the Ottoman period in Istanbul, calligraphy, textiles, 18th and 19th century porcelains made in the imperial workshops of Yildiz Palace, various glass objects, calligraphy equipment and other objects of daily life.

Open daily between 09.00-16.00 except Mondays and Tuesdays.
Barbaros Bulvari, Yildiz
Tel: (212) 258 53 44

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Press Museum

A building on the Yeniceri (Janissary) Street in Cemberlitas neighborhood, originally built as a university by Safvet Pasha and having served different purposes from then on, now houses the Press Museum. Its architect is believed to be Fossati. The museum displays documents on the history of the Turkish press and old printing machinery.

Open daily between 10:00-18:00 except Sundays.
Divanyolu Caddesi No:84, Cemberlitas - Eminonu
Tel: (212) 513 84 57 and 511 08 75

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Divan Literature Museum

The first dervish lodge in the city was built in 1492 and belongs to the Mevlevi order founded by Mevlana therefore today this museum is known as Galata Mevlevihanesi. The present wooden structure on the site dates from the late 18th century. It is situated in a large garden that includes a cemetery in the Tunel district of Pera. Historical objects and literature of the order are displayed.

Open daily between 09:30-17:00 except Mondays.
NOTE: The museum is closed for restorations
Galip Dede Caddesi No:15, Tunel - Beyoglu
Tel: (212) 245 41 41 and 243 50 45
Admission: Euro 7, or its equivalent in Turkish Liras for the museum, extra fee for Dervish performance

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Tanzimat Museum

19th century documents and objects belonging to the Ottoman Tanzimat period are displayed in this museum. It was first opened in the Ihlamur Mansion in 1952 and moved to its present location in Gulhane Park just below Topkapi Palace in 1983.

Open daily between 09:00-16:00 except Sundays.
Gulhane Parki, Eminonu
Tel: (212) 512 63 84

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Turkish & Islamic Art Museum (Ibrahim Pasha Palace)

Fine collection of art and ethnography in the lovely setting of Ibrahim Pasa Palace in the old Hippodrome area. It was built in the 16th century and donated to Grand Vizier Ibrahim Pasha by the great sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. He was the first counselor of the Sultan and married Suleyman’s sister as the sultan ascended the throne, thus occupying a very important place in the Ottoman palace hierarchy. After Ibrahim's death the palace was used as a military barracks for new recruits, and made a museum during the Republic. Click Here for more information on the Palace museum.

Open daily between 09:00-16:30
Sultanahmet Meydani, Eminonu
Tel: (212) 518 18 05 and 06
Admission: Euro 17, or its equivalent in Turkish Liras

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Islamic Sciences & Technology History Museum

One of the newest museums of Istanbul opened by the Metropolitan Municipality in May 2008 at Gulhane Park, near Topkapi Palace. There are plans, copies and replicas of several inventions of Muslim scientists and researches throughout the history of Islam, especially between 8th and 16th centuries AD.

Open daily between 09:00-16:30 except Tuesdays.
Gulhane Parki, Has Ahirlar binasi, Eminonu
Tel: (212) 528 80 65
Admission: Euro 10, or its equivalent in Turkish Liras

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Museum of Islamic Civilizations

Opened in April 2022 at the Buyuk Camlica Mosque complex on the Anatolian side of Istanbul, this multi-storey large museum displays around 700 works reflecting the historical development of Islamic art from the 7th to the 19th centuries. It is possible to see many works such as the footprint of the Prophet Mohammed, the curtain of the Kaaba door, talismanic shirts, sultan's caftans, the childhood notebook of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, coins from the Ottoman period, rosaries of dervishes, and sultans' swords.

Buyuk Camlica Mosque, Camlica
Admission: 250 TL

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Santralistanbul Energy & Arts Museum

The building used to be an electric power plant built in 1914 at the tip of the Golden Horn, and known as Silahtaraga Electric Plant. It produced energy for Istanbul from Ottoman period until 1983 then it was shut down for being out of modern technology. The plants were taken by Istanbul Bilgi University and converted into a modern university campus, restoring the old power plant as well. Santralistanbul was opened as an energy museum displaying old industrial electric machines and for modern art exhibitions in September 2007. There are student guides to direct you inside the museum.

Open daily between 10:00-18:00
Eski Silahtaraga Elektrik Santrali, Eyup
Tel: (212) 311 78 78
Admission: 50 TL

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Bahcesehir College Science Museum

One of the newest museums of Istanbul opened in June 2008 inside the Bahcesehir private highschool. The museum has several tools and work stations aiming young children to explore the scientific world. Young visitors can test and learn several facts of science and physics at the interactive stations and research labs. There is also a Planetarium, sky observation station, and a 3-D movie theater for scientific educational films.

Open daily between 10:00-16:00 except weekends.
Bahcesehir Koleji, Bahcesehir

Rahmi Koc Industrial Museum

This museum is located in the anchor casting workshop at the docks on the Golden Horn (Halic in Turkish), an area that symbolized industrialization in the Ottoman Empire of the 19th century. The anchor casting workshop was built in the era of Ahmet II (1703-1730) and the building's foundations go back to a 12th century Byzantine construction. It was restored under Selim III and used by the Finance Ministry until 1951. After a fire in 1984, the building stood in ruins. In 1991, it was bought by the Rahmi Koc Museum and Cultural Foundation, restored and opened to the public in 1994.

On the first floor, motors and steam engines are displayed. On the second floor are the scientific instruments and communications apparatuses. The entrance is reserved for the aircraft department, mint machinery for printing paper money and coins, bicycles and motorcycles, the naval department and ship engines. In the open area, there is a coast guard life-boat, a tram, a narrow gauge steam train, and a vertical steam boiler. There is a submarine in the water.

Open daily between 10:00-17:00 except Mondays.
Haskoy Caddesi, No:27, Haskoy - Beyoglu
Tel: (212) 369 66 00
Admission: 300 TL for museum, 10 TL for submarine

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Sakip Sabanci Museum

The building today known as the Horse Mansion on the Bosphorus was built in the 19th century and belonged to Sabanci family for many years. Just before the death of Sakip Sabanci the mansion was converted into a museum and opened to the public with its antique furnishings and art collections. Today the Museum's collection of precious manuscripts and extensive collection of 19th and 20th century paintings are on permanent exhibition in the rooms of the original house and gallery annex. From time to time, it is also hosting great exhibitions of international artists such as Pablo Picasso, Rodin etc.

Open daily between 10:00-18:00 except Mondays.
Sakip Sabanci Caddesi No:22, Emirgan - Sariyer
Tel: (212) 277 22 00
Admission: 50 TL

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Pera Museum

The museum was opened in July 2005 by the Suna-Inan Kirac Foundation, another project of Koc family. The old building was originally constructed in 1893 by architect Achille Manousos and restored recently for the modern museum. Kutahya tiles, Anatolian weights and measurements, and Oriental portraits painting Collections are the permanent exhibitions in the museum. One of the most famous paintings in the museum is of Osman Hamdi's "The Tortoise Trainer" (Kaplumbaga Terbiyecisi in Turkish). In addition, three art galleries and an auditorium are among the facilities of the museum.

Open daily between 10:00-19:00 except Mondays, 12:00-18:00 on Sundays.
Mesrutiyet Caddesi No:141, Tepebasi - Beyoglu
Tel: (212) 334 99 00
Admission: 80 TL

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Borusan Contemporary Museum

The museum is opened in 2011 at the headquarters of Borusan Holding, one of the leading companies in Turkey, located in a historic building. It's a comtemporary art museum with exhibitions and events in its galleries. The museum has a caffeteria and a panoramic terrace with breathtaking views of the Bosphorus.

Open between 10:00-20:00 on Saturdays & Sundays Only, except if the weekend falls on the first days of the religious holidays or on January 1.
Perili Kosk No:5 - Rumelihisar
Tel: (212) 393 52 00
Admission: 75 TL

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Vedat Nedim Tor Museum

This museum is located in the Yapi Kredi Bank building in Galatasaray neighborhood and contains a collection of coins, embroidered textiles, gold covered copper objects, calligraphy, rosaries, Karagoz figures and ethnographic works. Open to the public during exhibitions around central themes.

Open daily between 10:00-18:00, 13:00-18:00 on Sundays.
Istiklal Caddesi No:285, Beyoglu
Tel: (212) 245 20 41 and 293 37 10

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Rezan Has Museum

This private museum is located inside the Kadir Has University in the Golden Horn, inside an old building which also contains some relics of a Byzantine cistern and Ottoman hamam. The museum displays paintings and documents belonging to important persons who draw the Golden Horn in the past centuries, objects from Anatolia, and so on.

Open daily between 09:00-18:00
Kadir Has Üniversitesi, Kadir Has Caddesi, Cibali
Tel: (212) 533 65 32 and 534 10 34

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Ottoman Bank Museum (SALT)

It's located in the former head office of the former Ottoman Bank on Bankalar (banks) Street in Karakoy district and operates under the aegis of the Garanti Bank sponsored Ottoman Bank Archive and Research Center. The museum, organized in and around the bank's safe room and known as SALT, draws on a wealth of information from the bank's archive to narrate the history of this institution, which operated as the Central Bank, bank of issue, and treasurer of the Ottoman Empire.

Open between 12:00-18:00 except on Mondays.
Bankalar Caddesi No:11, Karakoy
Tel: (212) 334 22 00

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Is Bank Museum

Opened in November 2007 at Eminonu district near the Spice Market, the museum is housed in an old building of one of the oldest banks of Turkey, Is Bank, founded by Ataturk. There is a big collection of many documents, photos, films and objects collected since the foundation of the Is Bank, showing the economic and cultural heritage of Turkey and its recent history.

Open to the public between 10:00-18:00 except on Mondays, holidays, and 1st of January.
Hobyar Mah Bankacilar Cad No:2, Eminonu
Tel: (212) 511 13 31
Admission: Free of charge

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Is Bank Painting Museum

Located on Istiklal Street, the IsBank Painting & Sculpture Museum is one of the most recent museums in Istanbul. The original building was founded in 1907 as Baudouy Apartment, then was purchased by Is Bank in the 1950s and functioned as a bank branch until the 2010s. Finally it was completely demolished, re-built in its original architecture, and opened in 2023 as an exhibition space for the bank's art collection and a contemporary museum.

The exhibition floors are distinguished by gallery spaces containing paintings by a number of master painters, including Osman Hamdi Bey, Seker Ahmet Pasa, Hoca Ali Riza and Ibrahim Calli. Currently, it is one of the largest painting collections in Turkey with over 2,000 artifacts by over 800 artists.

The museum is open daily between 10:00 - 19:00, except on Mondays.
Istiklal Str. No:144, Beyoglu
Tel: (212) 987 37 37

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Adam Mickiewicz Museum

Adam Mickiewicz, Polish romantic poet and playwright, was born in Zaosie in 1798. He was arrested by the Russian police in 1823 because of taking part in a semisecret group which protested Russian control of Poland, he was jailed and then exiled to Russia. After his release, he spent the rest of his life in Western Europe and in Turkey where he continued to write his poems. He died during a cholera epidemic in Istanbul in 1885. His body was first transported to Paris and than returned to Poland.

His house in Tarlabasi neighborhood near Beyoglu was converted into a museum in 1955 to commemorate 100th year of his death. Inside the museum, there are many documents and information about the poet and his works, photographs of Constantinople of that time, and documents of Polish Liberation struggle. There is also a symbolic grave of the poet in the basement of the building. The museum today is administered by the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum.

Open daily between 09:30-16:00, except on Mondays.
Tatli Badem Sokak, Dolapdere - Beyoglu
Tel: (212) 237 25 45 and 253 66 98
Admission: Free of charge

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Ismet Inönü Museum

Inönü was the second president of the Turkish Republic. The summer house on Heybeli Island was bought by him in 1934 and lately it is rennovated and opened as a museum in 2008. There are personal objects and books of Ismet Inönü, as well as some exhibitions. There is no admission fee for the museum.

Open from April to November between 10:00-18:00.
Refah Sehitleri Cad. No:59 - Heybeli Ada
Tel: (216) 351 84 49

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Hüseyin Rahmi Gürpinar Museum

Rahmi Gürpinar was one of the early Republic period writers of Turkey. His house on Heybeli Island, where he lived between 1912-1944, has been rennovated and converted into a museum by the Ministry of Culture and volunteered school theachers in 1999. The house is located on a high hillside of the island, where one can visit his personal objects, books, and some handycrafts made by the writer.

Open daily between 10:00-16:00, except on Mondays.
Demirtas Sokak - Heybeli Ada

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Leyla Gencer Museum

Leyla Gencer was a world famous Turkish opera Diva and the Primadonna of the La Scala opera for 25 years while she lived in Italy. Interior of her house in Milan is reproduced inside the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) building near Galata Tower, where you can see items and furnitures from the life of this great soprano such as her piano, her library, her photographs, her dining room and her bedroom.

Open daily between 11.00-16.30 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
IKSV, Sadi Konuralp Cad. No:5, Sishane - Beyoglu
Tel: (212) 334 08 21

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The Florence Nightingale Museum

The museum is opened in memory of the English nurse Florence Nightingale who came to Istanbul in 1854 for taking care of the Turkish and allied soldiers of the Crimean War. The hospital was at the Selimiye Barracks and now the room in the northwest tower has been turned into a tiny museum since 1954.

The exhibits include Florence Nightingale's personal belongings, photographs, certificates, medallions and the bracelet that Sultan Abdulmecid presented to her. Besides the museum you can also visit the British Cemeteries nearby the Army Headquarters.

Open daily between 09:00-16:00 except at weekends (visits with special permission only)
Selimiye Kislasi, Uskudar
Tel: (216) 343 73 10

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Dogancay Museum

The Dogancay Museum, Turkey's first modern art museum, was officially opened in 2004. It is centrally located in a 150-year old historic building in the bustling section of Beyoglu in walking distance from Taksim Square. The museum provides a general overview of a small portion of the prolific oeuvre of one of Turkey's leading artists, Burhan Dogancay, and that of his father, Adil.

Open daily between 10:00-18:00
Balo Sokak No:42, Beyoglu
Tel: (212) 244 77 70
Free Admission

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Museum of Innocence

The Museum of Innocence, inspired by the same name book of the Nobel Prize winner author Orhan Pamuk, was opened in 2012 in a historic building located in a residential area near Galata Tower. The belongings of Fusun collected by Kemal, the two characters of the book, are displayed on all three levels of the museum. These objects, which embody daily life in Istanbul during the second half of the 20th century, are well displayed in boxes and cabinets.

Open daily between 10:00-18:00, except on Mondays, on January 1st, and on the first day of religious holidays
Cukurcuma Cad. Dalgic Cikmazi No:2, Tophane - Beyoglu
Tel: (212) 252 97 38
Admission: 150 TL

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Museum of Illusions

The Museum of Illusions is located in the recently restored Narmanli Han on Istiklal street, near Pera. These fascinating illusions will trick your senses in several ways. Its entertaining exhibits and areas such as infinity room, the vortex tunnel, the Beuchet Chair illusion and Ames room is lots of fun both for kids and adults. There is also a small shop and a great candy shop at the entrance of the museum.

Open daily between 10:00-22:00
Narmanli Han, Istiklal Cad. No:18 - Beyoglu
Tel: (212) 244 06 64
Admission: Adults 420 TL - Children 330 TL

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Miniaturk

Miniaturk is also named as the "Showcase of Turkey", where you can find many important structures of Turkey in small scales, models of architectural masterpieces representing the Anatolian and Ottoman civilizations.

Models of 105 historical and architectural works, all made in the scale of 1/25, including the Library of Celsus at Ephesus, the Malabadi Bridge in Diyarbakir, Grand Mosque of Bursa, the Tomb of Mevlana in Konya, Dome of the Rock (Mescid-i Aksa), the Church of St. Antoine in Istanbul, the Ottoman galley, Savarona (Ataturk's boat), the Underground Cistern (Yerebatan), Stone houses of Mardin, Fairy chimneys of Cappadocia, Ataturk's Mausoleum in Ankara, Aspendos theater in Antalya, Hagia Sophia and the Maiden's Tower of Istanbul, can all be seen in one single place. There is also a miniature railway network, a motorway with moving vehicles, an airport with moving airplanes, thousands of human figures, and ships sailing across the Bosphorus. These dynamic models make Miniaturk a living park.

Built in 2003 on a 60,000-square-meter site in the Golden Horn, it is the largest miniature city in the world and has attracted lots of interest and is located opposite the Pierre Loti Coffee House in Eyup district, a favorite with tourists.

Open daily between 09:00-18:00
Imrahor Caddesi Borsa Duragi Mevkii, Sutluce - Beyoglu
Tel: (212) 222 28 82
Admission: 500 TL

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Sunay Akin Toy Museum

This is a private museum founded by Sunay Akin in a historical residence that belongs to his family, in Goztepe district of Istanbul. Approximately 2000 toys and miniatures are exhibited in the museum that occupies 500 square meters of land. Sunay Akin has collected some 4000 toys from Turkey and abroad. The oldest is a miniature violin manufactured in 1817 in France. A doll made in 1820 in United States, marbles from United States dating back to 1860 and German toys made from tin, and porcelain dolls are other items of the extensive collection.

The museum has a cafeteria and a very small theater as well.

Open daily between 09:30-18:00 except Mondays.
Omerpasa Caddesi Dr. Zeki Zeren Sokak No:17, Goztepe
Tel: (216) 359 45 50 and 51
Admission: 420 TL

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Balat Toy Museum

It is the second toy museum of Istanbul located in the Balat neighborhood on the Golden Horn, where rare toys are exhibited. There are thousands of different alternatives, especially unique diecast cars, detailed dollhouses, popular and classic cartoon scenes. It also has Turkey's largest collection of toy soldiers.

Open daily between 10:00-20:00 except Mondays.
Abdulezelpasa Cad. No: 65, Balat-Fatih
Tel: (212) 935 30 80
Admission: 85 TL

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Madame Tussauds

Madame Tussauds wax museum in Istanbul is opened on November 2016. It's located inside a historical building on Istiklal street with 55 wax statues of well known Turkish and foreign personalities such as Ataturk, Einstein, Steve Jobs, Brad Pitt, Anjelina Jolie, Bob Marley, Messi, and so on.

Open daily between 10:00-20:00
Tel: (212) 444 3 253
Admission: 450 TL

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Wax Museum

A private museum opened in 2012 in the modern Sapphire shopping mall located in a residential area. The wax statues were made by Mrs. Jale Kushan, using very realistic materials and the wax. There are around 60 wax statues of many important figures such as Attila, Elvis Presley, Da Vinci, Karl Marx, Mevlana, Ataturk, Napoleon, Beatles, and many other historic and popular personalities around the world.

Open daily between 10:00-22:00
Tel: (212) 268 80 80
Note: Closed!

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SAV Automobile Museum

The Sabri Artam Vakfi Antique Automotive museum has the largest collection of antique cars in Turkey with its over 100 vehicles collected privately in a record time frame of 15-20 years by Artam family. The museum is recognized by FIVA (Federation Internationale des Vehicule Anciens - International Federation of Antique Vehicles) as well. There are many special cars in the collection from last century, such as 1907 model Panhard-Levassor, 1912 model Mercer, 1926 model Bugatti, and 1929 model Packard. There is also the largest collection of Ferrari's in Turkey, and special models of Maserati, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini and Fiat cars are on display.

The museum is located in Cengelkoy, near Uskudar on the Asian side of Istanbul, and has a total of 5 floors; in the basement there are cars produced after 1960's, on the second floor cars from 1950's, on the third floor a cafeteria and antique cars, and on the roof there are model cars.

Open daily between 10:00-19:00 except Sundays & Mondays.
Bosna Bulvari No:104, Cengelkoy
Tel: (216) 329 50 30
Note: Closed!

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TURVAK Cinema & TV Museum

The TURVAK is a private foundation established by Turker Inanoglu, one of the most known movie directors in Turkey. The Cinema and Television Museum was founded to show the development of Turkish movie and television industry from the beginning until today. On the displays in several halls one can see old film and recording machines of 8, 16 and 35 mm, illuminating projectors, editing consoles, turntables, dolly, carriages, studio and laboratory devices, posters, photographs, leaflets, brochures, advertising material, scripts, books and magazines on cinema. In the same building there is also a Theater Museum by TURVAK, with masks and play accessories, stage costumes, tickets and invitation cards, posters, brochures and photographs, samples of our traditional theater such as the Ortaoyunu (a special theatrical genre in Turkish Theater) Section and Hacivat - Karagoz shadow theater characters. The museum used to be located on the Asian side of Istanbul but in January 2011 it has moved to its new location near Taksim Square.

Note: Closed!
Yeni Carsi Cad. No:24, Galatasaray Meydani - Beyoglu
Tel: (212) 245 80 91 and 92

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Cinema Museum

Turkey's most comprehensive cinema museum and digital memory was opened in 2021 in the historical Atlas Cinema on Istiklal Street. The museum's digital archive contains information about thousands of Turkish films, film actors, directors, screenwriters and producers, replicas and costumes used in movies, film equipments and cameras.

Open between 11:00-18:00 Monday-Friday, and 11:00-17:00 on Saturdays. Closed on Sundays.
Istiklal Cad. No:131/A, Beyoglu
Admission: Euro 4, or its equivalent in Turkish Liras

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Illumination & Heating Appliances Museum

This is a small private museum owned by Mr. Mehmet Yaldiz. The museum is located in an old mansion in the Sultanahmet neighborhood of Eminonu district, near the Blue Mosque. There is a large collection of antique and historic lighting and heating appliances such as oil and stone lamps, gas lamps, cooking stoves, candle sticks, wood and coal stoves, braziers and incense burners, chandeliers, and other related materials from Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods.

Important note: Closed!
Cankurtaran Mahallesi, Dalbasti Sokak No:16, Sultanahmet - Eminonu
Tel: (212) 517 66 08

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Glass Museum

The Glass museum in Istanbul is located next to a nice groove in Beykoz district on the Asian side of the city. It's an old mansion from 19th century belonging to Abraham Pasha, which was recently restored and opened to visitors in April 2021. There are around 1500 glass objects on display, from late Ottoman and European periods.

Open daily between 09:00-17:00 except on Mondays, first day of religious holidays, and 1st of January.
Mehmet Yavuz Cad. No:115, Beykoz
Tel: (216) 424 16 32
Admission: 200 TL

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PTT (Postal Service) Museum

The PTT (Post - Telephone - Telegram company) museum in Istanbul is located inside the historic building of main post office at Sirkeci neighborhood. It houses several old phone units, telegram machines, first stamp from 1863 and other late Ottoman or early Republic period stamps, old seals and mail boxes, postal clerk uniforms, and some photos of the first communication systems in Turkey.

Open daily except weekends and holidays, between 08:30-12:30 and 13:30-17:30
Important note: Closed for restorations.
Büyük Postane, Yeni Postane Sok. Zaptiye Cad. No:25, Sirkeci - Eminonu
Tel: (212) 520 90 37

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Photograpy Museum

The Photography museum is opened in 2011 in the historic neighbourhood of Kadirga, in order to witness the past and present of the Turkish photography. The museum contains works of various Turkish photographers, archive of photos and a library.

Open daily between 10:00-18:00 except on Mondays and on national and religious holidays
Sehsuvar Bey Mah. Kadirga Liman Cad. No:60, Kadirga
Tel: (212) 458 88 42
Admission: 3 TL

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Museum of the Princes' Islands

The Museum of the Princes' Islands is a contemporary city museum of Istanbul opened in 2010 at Buyukada, one of the Princes' Islands. The museum tells the story of the islands from the geological formation of them to the present day, displaying hundreds of objects, Ottoman archival documents, photographs, documentary films, and so on.

Open daily between 09:00-18:00, except on Mondays
Hangar Muze Alani, Aya Nikola Mevkii, Büyükada
Tel: (216) 382 64 30
Admission: 30 TL

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Panorama 1453 History Museum

One of the newest sights of Istanbul and the first and the only panoramic museum in Turkey, describing the Conquest of Constantinople in 1453 with 3-D objects and paintings, including sounds too. The museum is located in front of the ancient city walls where the Janissaries were first able to breach the city during the siege. Inside the museum you can have a 360 degrees of vision when you look at the wall paintings from a distance giving you a 3 dimensional impression. This 3-D effect makes you think that the picture is without boundaries.

Open daily between 09:00-19:00
Merkez Efendi Mahallesi - Topkapi
Tel: (212) 415 14 53
Admission: 650 TL

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Military Museum

The museum consists of many interesting military pieces such as uniforms belonging to every period of Ottoman army, various weapons from bow and arrow to triggered guns, seals, armors, tent of the sultan, sultan swords, flags, photos of ministers of defense, Byzantine Cavalry Flag, various warfare pieces used from the Seljuk period to the Republic period, and the chain with which Byzantines closed the Golden Horn before the Conquest. There is also a Janissary Band show daily between 3-4 pm.

Open daily between 09:00-17:00 except Mondays and Tuesdays and 1st of January.
Cumhuriyet Caddesi, Harbiye - Sisli
Tel: (212) 233 27 20
Admission: 200 TL

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Naval Museum

The museum was opened to public in 1960 and renewed recently. It displays the uniforms of the Turkish sailors, models of Turkish naval vessels, and paintings, engravings and maps related to Turkish maritime history. Also the materials and souvenirs from the vessels used in the first years of Ottoman Empire and the Republic, pictures of some navy disasters and martyrs, wartime weapons such as hand-bombs, torpedo, fire gun and sketches of several fleet commanders are amongst the display. A great collection of Sultans' row-boats (Saltanat Kayigi in Turkish) are on display in the main large halls, as well as coat of arms and wooden decorations from these old vessels. You can also see the the chain which blocked the entrance of the Golden Horn during the Conquest of Constantinople in 1453. In the courtyard of the museum, cannonballs of various sizes and a part of German Battleship which sunk in our coastline during Second World War are also displayed.

Open daily between 09:00-17:00 except Mondays.
Hayrettin Iskelesi Sokak, Besiktas
Tel: (212) 327 43 45 and 46
Admission: 400 TL

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Aviation Museum

The museum stands within the Air Command Headquarters of Istanbul and has both indoor and outdoor exhibition sections; jet-motor and hovercrafts, cargo planes, helicopters, some aviation arms, pictures, emblems, medallions and belongings of Turkish air pilots are displayed. The Museum also features movie theater, conference room and a small cafeteria.

Open daily between 09:30-16:30 (excluding lunch time) except Mondays and Tuesdays.
Hava Harp Okulu, Yesilyurt
Tel: (212) 663 24 90

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Fire Brigade Museum

This museum presents a chronological history of fire fighting in Istanbul starting with the water pumpers (tulumbaci in Turkish) of Ottoman times. All kinds of fire brigade equipment, from the first motorized fire engines to firemen’s clothing and tools, are displayed. The museum in its present building opened in 1992 within the main Fire Brigade headquarters in Fatih district, after many years of collecting and repairing the objects.

Open daily between 09:00-16:30 except weekends.
Itfaiye Caddesi No:9, Fatih
Tel: (212) 524 11 25 or 635 71 74

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Mosaics Museum

This museum, opened to the public in 1953 behind Blue Mosque, consists of the remains of the Great Palace of the Byzantine Empire built by Constantine the Great (324-337). These remains consists of mosaics, columns and other architectural pieces which had once been part of the Great Palace. They show scenes with human figures, daily life in Byzantium, hunting incidents, landscapes and animal figures.

Open daily between 09:30-16:30 except Mondays.
NOTE: Temporarily closed for restorations!
Sultanahmet, Eminonu
Tel: (212) 518 12 05 or 528 45 00
Admission: Euro 10, or its equivalent in Turkish Liras

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Binbirdirek Cistern (Binbirdirek Sarnici)

It's one of the oldest Byzantine cisterns of Istanbul; it was built by Philoxenus to the west of the Hippodrome as a huge water storage in the 4th century AD during the reign of Constantine the Great. The dimensions of the cistern are 64 x 56 meters with 15 meters of height and there were 224 original columns, out of which 212 of them survived until our days. The brick arches and the roof surrounded by tick walls are supported by these columns. It's beleived that it was connected to Serefiye cistern nearby. Binbirdirek in Turkish means "Thousand and one columns", referring probably to its many columns. During the Ottoman period it was used as a silk threads production atelier and unfortunately as a dump during the Republic period. It was opened to the public in 2002 after a long restoration period. Besides being a museum, today there are small shops, a restaurant, the cistern is also used for special events and for small scale music concerts.

Open daily between 09:00-17:30
Adliye Karsisi, Sultanahmet
Tel: (212) 518 10 01
Admission: 350 TL

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Camlica Hill

Situated on the Asian side of Istanbul, this 229 meter hill called as Kücük (Small) Camlica provides a panoramic view of the city and has nice cafeterias to enjoy Turkish tea or coffee. There is also a second hill named Büyük (Grand) Camlica, 262 meters high. Camlica Hill is also a well known spot for watching migrating birds over the Bosphorus. Click the link for more information on Camlica Hill.

Open every day. Admission is free.

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Sultanahmet Square (Hippodrome)

Scene of horse and chariot races and the center of Byzantine civic life. It was the place where the Nika Riot started in 532 AD. There is an Egyptian Obelisk, a stone obelisk and the Serpentine Column which were originally brought by the Byzantine emperors and used for the decoration of the Hippodrome. At the other end of the Hippodrome, the German Fountain still functions today. The imperial lodge was located to the west of the Hippodrome where Ibrahim Pasha Palace stands now. Today, Sultanahmet Square is a nice pedestrian area for picnics and meetings.

Open everyday. Admission is free

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Notes

Please note that admission fees, opening times or days of closure of the museums might be changed without prior notice, or that museum might be closed for restorations. To be certain on the closure days or opening times, you can call that museum directly (country code for Turkey is +90) or contact me to double check. Most of the museums have longer opening hours during summer months.

Hope to see you soon in Istanbul.