History Museums in Istanbul

#1

Learn about Turkish history in ornate rooms and explore Ottoman artifacts

#2

Hodjapasha Cultural Center is a delightful piece of the city’s striking cultural mosaic, near the mighty Hagia Sophia Basilica and the magnificent Topkapi Palace. Transformed from a large 15th-century hamam (Turkish bath), the building now welcomes visitors under its high dome ceilings to showcase some of the best of this vast country’s traditions since 2008.

#3

Learn about the history and heritage of Hagia Sophia

#4

The Istanbul Archeological Museums are among the largest museums in the world, with over one million artifacts from various cultures. Since you can see many objects from the pre-Islamic periods of the Greek, Egyptian, and Arabian Peninsula of Anatolia and Mesopotamia, this museum is one of the best places to visit in Istanbul. It was established as the Imperial Museum at the end of the 19th century by the painter and museologist Osman Hamdi Bey. Istanbul Archeological Musems' collection includes artifacts from civilizations within the borders of the Ottoman Empire, from the Balkans to Africa, from Anatolia and Mesopotamia to the Arabian Peninsula and Afghanistan.

#5

Learn about the past, view the siege, and see historical artifacts

#6

See the vintage toys and attend a hands-on toy-making workshop