Museums in Istanbul
A selection of interesting museums for a city trip to Istanbul: between history, art and technology.
From history to modernity
On the Bosphorus, Istanbul is the combination of modernity, history and culture.
The highlights include the Topkapi Palace, which has been converted into a museum, including the Harem, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums with exhibits from all over the Orient, and the Hagia Sophia.
Art lovers visit the Istanbul Modern Museum with IMOGA, Pera and the Elgiz Museum.
A tour through the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum right across from the Blue Mosque is also one of the classics in Istanbul.
Technology fans visit the Rahmi M. Koc Museum and the Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam.
Visiting the museums in Istanbul
With art that is thousands of years old, the museums in Istanbul particularly illustrate the way of life and traditions in the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Most of the buildings worth seeing in Istanbul, such as the Byzantine church Hagia Sophia or the Topkapı Palace, seat of the Ottoman sultans, as well as other palaces and castles have been converted into museums and are located on the Historical Peninsula south of the Golden Horn. The museum pass gives you free admission to selected museums.
There are also a number of private museums, which mainly present the Turkish art scene in all its diversity, but also show the life and own collections of well-known Turkish personalities. They are mostly situated in the modern part of Istanbul, north of the Golden Horn.
Istanbul Museum Pass
The Istanbul Museum Pass is valid for 5 days and gives you free skip-the-line entry to selected museums.
Opening hours: The opening hours of the museums in Istanbul vary according to the summer and winter seasons. On the first day of certain public holidays, the state museums open at 13:00. On the other days, regular opening hours apply.