Museums in Istanbul

İstanbul Archeologiac Museum

The museum dates back to 1869 and is considered one of the largest museums in the world. There are three museums within the museum: Archeology Museum, Ancient Oriental Museum and Tiled Pavilion Museum. The museum is definitely recommended to be seen. İstanbul Archeologiac Museum was evacuated for preventive purposes during World War II and then it was reorganized and put into service. The museum was re-designed in 1963 and opened to visitors in 1974.

Archaeological Museum:

Among the works exhibited in the archaeological museum are ancient statues from the ancient period to the Roman period, the sarcophagus of Alexander, the sarcophagus of crying women, the sarcophagus of Tabnit, and many more

Museum of Ancient Oriental Art

Among the artefacts exhibited in the museum are pre-Islamic works of Arabia, Egyptian works, Mesopotamian works, Urartu works and Cuneiform documents and thousands of works. 

Tiled Pavilion Museum

In the collection of tiled pavilion museum, around 2000 artefacts belonging to Seljuk and Ottoman periods are exhibited.  

The museum which is open to visitors every day except Mondays can be visited;
From October 3rd to April 14th from 08:00 to 16:45,
From April 15th and October 30th between 09:00 and 18:45.
Museum cardholders can enter the museum free of charge.
The museum is located very close to Gülhane Park and it is easy to reach by using Eminönü-Kabataş tram line.

Address:
Alemdar St.Osman Hamdi Bey Hill
PO: 34122 -Fatih / İstanbul
Phone: 0212 520 77 40

Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art

The artefacts of the Turkish and Islamic Art Museum, where more than 40 thousand artefacts are exhibited, are known to be collected from the 19th century. In the different halls within the museum, a wide variety of works from the early periods of the Islamic world are exhibited.
In the museum, where carpet and kilim collection stand out the most, 13th-century Seljuk period carpets and rugs, as well as very valuable silk Persian carpets and handwritten Quran are exhibited.

On the ground floor of the museum, there is an ethnographic exhibition about the lifestyle of different peoples, especially Yoruks, living in Anatolia. Within the exhibition, the round tents of the Yoruks named as Yurt are exhibited. There are also Turkish and English explanations about the artefacts exhibited in the museum.
The departments in the museum include the Carpet section, the Manuscripts and calligraphy section, the Woodworks section, the Stone art section, the Ceramic and glass section, the Mineral art section and the Ethnography section. 
Every day, except Mondays, it can be visited between 09:00 and 18:30 for a fee and museum cardholders can visit free of charge.
If you want to go to the museum by public transport, you can use the buses B2-1453-BN1 and BN2 or you can walk 250 meters after you get off at Sultanahmet tram stop using Zeytinburnu-Kabataş tram line.

Address:
Sultan Ahmet Neighborhood
At Square Street, No. 46
34122 Fatih / İstanbu
Phone: 0212 518 18 05-06

 Sakıp Sabancı Museum:

Sakıp Sabacı Museum, also known as the equestrian mansion, fascinates those who see it with its magnificent view. Among the works exhibited in the museum opened in 2002, are important works of 16th-century calligraphy, treasures of religious art, Quran-Quran copies and prayer books, paintings of Ottoman artists, paintings by European artists and many more Historical monuments.
The museum is open every day except Mondays and the entrance is for a fee. Museum card is not valid. The restaurant and café are also located within the museum to meet the needs of visitors.
The museum, which is closed on Monday, is open to visitors between Tuesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 and is closed on the first day of religious holidays.
If you want to go to the museum by public transport, you can use the buses 22RE-25E-55-40-40t-42T-EL1-EL2.

Address:
Sakıp Sabancı St. No: 42
Emirgan 34467

Rahmi Koc Museum

The museum, which was opened to visitors in 1994, was established on an area of 27 thousand square meters. Museum consists of 3 different sections: The historical Lenerhane building, Historical Hasköy Shipyard and the Open Air Display Area. The museum describes the history of transport in Turkey with cars, classic cars, classic aeroplanes, buses, planes, trams, trains, submarines and different means of transport.
Also among the collections exhibited in the museum are Atatürk department, Road transport, Railway transport, Maritime, Aviation, Letterpress printing workshop, Living history, Machines, Communication, Scientific Instruments, Models and Toys. In addition, the museum provides training to students on many different topics.

The museum is closed on Mondays and is open for visits from 10:00 to 17:00 on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Saturdays and Sundays
From October 1st to March 31st between 09:30 and 18:00.
From April 1st to September 30th between 09:00 and 19:00. Admission is chargeable and discounts are available to museum cardholders.

Those who want to go to the museum with public transport can use the buses 47-47Ç-47E-47N-54HT-54HŞ-36T, and those who want to come by metrobus should get off at Halıcıoğlu stop. And there is parking service free of charge for those coming with their private cars. 

Address:
Rahmi M. Koç Museum
Hasköy St.No: 5
Hasköy 34445 / İstanbul
Phone: 0212 369 66 00

 Sadberk Hanım Museum:

It is Turkey’s first private museum opened by Turkish businessmen Vehbi Koç in memory of his wife Sadberk Koç on October 14, 1980.  Various collections of Sadberk Hanim, archaeological artefacts from different periods, hand-woven fabrics from Ottoman period, clothes and different works and Turkish – Islamic works are exhibited in the museum.
For those who want to visit the museum, except the first day of religious holidays and Wednesdays, it can be visited between 10:00 and 17:00 every day. The entrance is for a fee, while museum cardholders, teachers and students receive discounts, while guests with Kokart can enter free of charge.
Those who want to go to the museum can easily reach the museum by using all the buses going towards Sarıyer coast road.
Address: Pazar St. No: 25-29 Buyukdere / İstanbul

İstanbul Toy Museum

Those who want to go to the museum which is open to visitors between 09:30 and 18:00 on weekdays and between 09:30 and 19:00 on weekends can take buses from Kadıköy (10-10B-10S-1Q-14KS-17-17L-19F-19M -19S-GZ1-GZ2-ER1-ER2) and get off at Göztepe stop and get to the museum after a short walk.
The opening of the museum was led by poet and writer Sunay Akın.

In the museum, the oldest toys of the world brought from different countries and purchased from antique dealers are exhibited. The museum, visited by families with children, can be visited every day of the week for a fee.
İstanbul Toy Museum address:
Ömerpaşa St..Doctor Zeki Zeren street no: 15 Kadıköy / İstanbul
Phone: 0216 359 45 50

 İstanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum

Being Turkey’s first museum of paintings and sculptures, İstanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum with the participation of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, opened with an official ceremony on September 20, 1937, is among the İstanbul’s major museums. It has been allocated to Mimar Sinan University by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in order to exhibit the works of painting and sculpture art which have been developing since the nineteenth century.

More than 6500 paintings, hundreds of oil paintings, 672 sculptures, 10 icon collections, 107 ceramics and 79 calligraphy works and private collections that have come to the museum through donations are exhibited in the İstanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum.

The museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays and the other days of the week can be visited free of charge between 10:00 and 16:30.  
Address:
Dolmabahçe St. 80680 Besiktas
Phone: 0212 261 42 98

İstanbul Maritime Museum

It was first established by the seaside in Beşiktaş on 31 August 1897 under the name of Museum and Library Administration. Between 1914 and 1917, the museum reorganized and its first catalogue was published. The artefacts exhibited in the museum were moved to Ankara, Izmit and Niğde in order to protect them from the damages that may occur during the World War 2, and in 1946 the artefacts were moved back to İstanbul. Approximately 20 thousand works exhibited in the museum that also carries the distinction of being the first military museum established in Turkey. The museum, which is built on an area of 1500 square meters, has 3 floors and has 17 rooms and a large hall.

Among the artifacts exhibited in the museum are Sultanate boats, manuscripts, a boat used during the National Struggle years, historical galleys, tughras, crests, some pieces belonging to Ertuğrul yacht, iron chain used by Byzantium to close the waters of the Golden Horn, parts and model of Nusret mine ship, Mustafa There are boats, books, magazines, maps and many other works used by Kemal Atatürk in Florya.    
The İstanbul Naval Museum is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00 except Mondays and Tuesdays. The museum is located near the Beşiktaş ferry port and is very easy to reach. The museum can be reached by bus 129T or by public transport to Beşiktaş.
Address:
Barbaros Hayrettin Pier / Beşiktaş 

Great Palace Mosaics Museum

The museum was first opened in 1953 as the İstanbul Archeology Museum, and in 1979 it was connected to the Hagia Sophia Museum and restored in 1987 and has reached its present shape. Located in the Arasta Bazaar near the Blue Mosque, the museum is home to numerous mosaics of Byzantine and Ottoman palaces. Located on an area of 1872 square meters, the museum exhibits nature-dominated paintings, shepherd life outdoors, animals grazing in the meadow, mythological creatures, children playing, and many other mosaics.

The museum is open to visitors every day from April 15th to October 25th between 09:00 and 19:00, From October 25th to April 15th between 09:00 and 17:00.    

Those who want to come to the museum can use Bağcılar-Kabataş line and get off at Sultanahmet stop and reach the museum easily after a 5-minute walk. Museum cardholders can enter the museum free of charge.

 Sirkeci Railway Museum

In 2005, the museum was opened on an area of 145 square meters and 300 cultural assets are exhibited. Access to the museum, which tells the history of the train from yesterday to today, is free and the museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Those who want to go to the museum by public transport can easily reach the museum by using Marmaray, T1 Kabataş-Bağcılar tram line, city lines ferries and buses.
Address: İstanbul Railway Museum
İstanbul Gar Hocapaşa Neighborhood 34110 Fatih / Eminönü
Phone: 0212 520 5 75

2005, the museum was opened on an area of 145 square meters and 300 cultural assets are exhibited. Access to the museum, which tells the history of the train from yesterday to today, is free and the museum is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Those who want to go to the museum by public transport can easily reach the museum by using Marmaray, T1 Kabataş-Bağcılar tram line, city lines ferries and buses.

Address: İstanbul Railway Museum İstanbul Gar Hocapaşa Neighborhood 34110 Fatih / Eminönü Phone: 0212 520 5 75 

Vakıflar Carpet and Rug Museum

The museum, located in İstanbul Fatih is the first museum in Turkey that exhibits carpets and rugs. The carpets and rugs woven from the 14th to the 19th century are exhibited in 3 different galleries in chronological order. In the first gallery, classical Ottoman carpets and rugs in the principalities period, in the second gallery carpets and prayer rugs with Central and Eastern Anatolia medallions and in the third gallery, large-sized butler carpets and prayer rugs are exhibited. The museum is located near the Blue Mosque and can be reached by public transport.
Address:
Cankurtaran Neighborhood
Babı Hümayun Avenue Soğuk çeşme St.. no: 1 Fatih
Phone: 0212 512 69 93

Ural Ataman Classic Car Museum

The museum is located in Tarabya where classic cars of different models and brands used between 1920 and 1970 were exhibited. Opened in 2000, the museum has more than 60 cars on display. Buses 41SF-29F-29M1-29M2-29D-42R-59RH are used to reach the museum. Please note that there is an entrance fee and the museum is only open on Saturdays from 11:00 to 18:00.
Address:
Ferahevler Neighborhood Nuri Pasa St. No: 107
34457 Sarıyer / İstanbul
Phone: 0212 299 45 39