Museum of Archaeology

About Museum of Archaeology

Archaeology museums in Istanbul, Turkey

The Istanbul Archaeology Museums are a group of three museums in the Eminönü quarter near Gülhane Park and Topkapı Palace, housing over one million objects from nearly all periods and civilisations in world history. Their story began when Sultan Abdülaziz toured the museums of Paris, London and Vienna in 1867 and saw what was needed to protect and display the empire's antiquities; the grand neo-classical main building followed in 1891, with two annexes added beside it. The complex consists of the Archaeological Museum in the main building, the Museum of the Ancient Orient, and the Museum of Islamic Art housed in the Tiled Kiosk (Çinili Köşk). Highlights include Sumerian cuneiform tablets, pieces of the walls of Babylon, Roman statues and the celebrated Alexander Sarcophagus from Sidon, as well as a detailed exhibition on the historical layers of Troy, all with thorough explanations in Turkish and English. Wikivoyage notes that the Tiled Kiosk and the Museum of the Ancient Orient were closed as of October 2025. It is one of Istanbul's richest museums for lovers of history, and in summer concerts are sometimes held in the courtyard on Saturdays and Sundays.

Where:

Istanbul, Türkiye