Museums

Istanbul Museums

1. Hagia Sophia Museum:A former Byzantine cathedral and Ottoman mosque, now a museum featuring stunning Byzantine architecture, mosaics and artefacts.

2. Topkapi Palace Museum:Former residence of the Ottoman sultans, this museum exhibits Ottoman treasures such as imperial garments, weapons, and the famous Topkapi Dagger.

3. The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts:Housed in the Ibrahim Pasha Palace, showcasing a collection of Turkish and Islamic artwork, textiles, ceramics, and calligraphy from dating back to the early Islamic periods.

4. Istanbul Archaeological Museums:Consist of three sections including the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, the Museum of the Ancient Orient, and the Tiled Kiosk Museum, which showcase the antique collections and artifacts from the Ancient Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods.

5. The Chora Museum:Known as the Church of the Holy Redeemer, this former Byzantine church is an art museum displaying magnificent Byzantine mosaics and frescoes.

6. The Museum of Innocence:Based on Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk's novel, the museum displays various artefacts from the book, offering a nostalgic trip back to Istanbul in the 1970s. 7. The Pera Museum:An art museum displaying works of Ottoman and contemporary art, including paintings, prints, and sculptures.

8. The Istanbul Modern Museum:This contemporary art museum located on the Bosphorus showcases modern and contemporary art from Turkey and beyond.

9. The Naval Museum:Located in the Beşiktaş district, this museum features an extensive collection of naval artefacts, including ships, cannons, torpedoes, and maritime instruments.

10. The Sadberk Hanim Museum:The first private collections museum in Istanbul, showcasing Ottoman-period household items and Anatolian artefacts.