Istanbul's Cultural Treasures: 11 Must-Visit Museums

Berfin Ceren Meray
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Istanbul, the cultural and historical capital of Turkey, is home to a vast array of museums that showcase the city's rich heritage and diverse cultural traditions. Whether you're a history buff, an art enthusiast, or simply looking to explore the city's fascinating past, Istanbul's museums offer a treasure trove of artifacts, art, and exhibits that will leave you awestruck. From ancient artifacts to modern art, Istanbul's museums offer a glimpse into the city's past, present, and future. In this blog post, we'll take you on a tour of 11 must-visit museums in Istanbul that you simply can't miss. So, let's dive in and discover the cultural treasures that Istanbul has to offer!

1. Istanbul Grand Palace Mosaics Museum

The mosaics, which were unearthed during excavations that began in 1935 in the northeast part of the portico courtyard of the Great Palace of Eastern Rome, look magnificent both artistically and in terms of the richness of depiction of the scenes.

The museum is located inside the Arasta Market in the Complex of the Blue Mosque and was created to include the mosaic floor covering, which remains partially intact in the northeast part of the porticoed courtyard of the Grand Palace belonging to the Eastern Roman Period.

You should go to the Istanbul Great Palace Mosaic Museum to see the mosaics and witness the history.

2. Galata Tower Museum

Galata Tower, located in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul, is a symbol for the city. Galata Galata tower, which takes its name from the Galata district where it is located, was built as a watchtower within the walls of Galata, after being used for different purposes in different periods, today it serves as an exhibition space and a museum. Galata Tower and the permanent museum and exhibition areas where the information and artifacts belonging to the walls; Galata Tower and Istanbul related artifacts are located. You should definitely visit Galata Tower to be able to look at Istanbul from a different perspective.

3. Türbeler Museum

Istanbul Mausoleums Museum Directorate was established on February 15, 1978 in order to carry out the services of the mausoleums affiliated to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Istanbul under an administration. Located in Sultanahmet, there are 120 mausoleums belonging to historical people such as the Tomb of Suleyman the Magnificent, the Tomb of Hürrem Sultan, the Tomb of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Khan, the Tomb of Yavuz Sultan Selim Khan, the Tomb of Eyup Sultan.

4. Fethiye Museum

The structure, which was built in 1292, has managed to be preserved to this day. The first large northern church was built, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Later, Mikhail Palagiogos' wife Maria had another small church built next to the north church while she was building the big church. In this additional church there are also the graves of Maria and October. The Fethiye Museum is located in Fatih.

5. Museum of Turkish and Islamic Works

The museum, which first opened its doors to visitors in Suleymaniye Complex under the name of Evkaf-ı Islamiye Museum, started to be referred to as the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Works with the proclamation of the Republic.

There are many artifacts such as metal and textile works, weapons of war, carpet weaving that shed light on the lives and cultures of the Turks throughout history in the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Works.

The museum is located on Sultanahmet Square. You can visit the museum with a card.

6. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Memorial House

The apartment on the fourth floor of the Mısır Apartment, where the national poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy spent his last days between June 1936 and December 1936, was organized as the Mehmet Akif Ersoy Memorial House and opened to visitors. Personal belongings and books of Mehmet Akif Ersoy are exhibited in the Memorial House.

7. Istanbul Airport Museum

The museum, which was opened on 17.07.2020, has the distinction of being the largest airport museum in the world with an area of 1000 m2. With the exhibition featuring 316 outstanding works from 29 different museums of Turkey, you can witness Turkey's thousands of years of history.

Airport Museum, in the International section of Istanbul New Airport. That is why passengers who pass through passport control can visit the museum.

8. Istanbul Galata Mevlevihanesi Museum

The Galata Museum in Istanbul, which you can reach by a few minutes' walk from the Galata Tower, the symbol of Beyoglu, has started to serve as the “Galata Mevlevihane Museum” as a result of renovation and environmental regulations between 2008-2011. The museum exhibition is in the Semahane building and the sufi, cult items, Galata Mevlevihane history and fine arts departments can be seen in the lower floor dervish rooms; the Sema area on the ground floor; calligraphy plates and musical instruments can be seen in the upper floor chambers.

9. Istanbul Adam Mickiewicz Museum

The museum built in memory of Adam Mickiewicz, poet, dramatist, patriot and author of the Polish national epic, who is considered the most important representative of Romanticism in Polish literature, is located in Beyoglu. The house was converted into a museum in cooperation with the Polish Ministry of Culture and Arts in 1955, the hundredth anniversary of the poet's death. The museum contains information and documents related to Mickiewicz's life and works, photos of the poet's years spent in Istanbul, and artifacts, documents and photos belonging to the Polish freedom struggle. In the basement of the building there is a symbolic tomb belonging to Mickiewicz, whose grave is located in Krakow.

10. Istanbul Hisar Museum

The Hisarlar Museum gathers Rumelihisarı, Yedikulehisarı and Anadoluhisarı within its structure. Rumeli Fortress, located within the boundaries of Istanbul Sariyer District, was built by Fatih Sultan Mehmet in 1452. The purpose of the construction of the fortress is to prevent aid from coming to the city from the north of the Bosphorus and to prevent possible attacks when Istanbul is besieged.

11. Istanbul Archaeological Museum - Museum of Ancient Oriental Artifacts - Tiled Pavilion

The Istanbul Archaeological Museums are a complex of museums consisting of three main units. It is known as the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Ancient Oriental Artifacts and the Tiled Pavilion Museum. There are about one million artifacts belonging to various cultures brought from the imperial lands in the collections of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums. The oldest building in the Istanbul Archaeological Museums complex is the Tiled Pavilion. The Tiled Kiosk Museum, where Turkish tile and ceramic samples are currently exhibited, is one of the oldest examples of civil architecture of the Ottoman period in Istanbul.