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Istanbul Archaeological Museum, Istanbul

4.3
#4 of 107 in Museums in Istanbul
History Museum · Hidden Gem · Museum
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See the vast and impressive collection of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine works at Istanbul Archaeological Museum, one of the world's largest museums, featuring over one million pieces. This also happens to be the oldest in Turkey, as it opened to the public in 1891. The artifacts are housed in three different buildings that make up the complex: the main building, or Archaeological Museum, Museum of the Ancient Orient, and Museum of Islamic Art. Consider combining your visit with other nearby sites, like the Topkapi Palace. Use our Istanbul trip site to visit Istanbul Archaeological Museum on your trip to Istanbul, and learn what else travelers and our writers recommend seeing nearby.
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Istanbul Archaeological Museum reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
4,446 reviews
Google
4.6
TripAdvisor
  • ! Never a dull moment. Lots of interesting information and archeology has never been more enlightening than what this museum has shown it to be. Start with the outdoor display if the weather is... 
    ! Never a dull moment. Lots of interesting information and archeology has never been more enlightening than what this museum has shown it to be. Start with the outdoor display if the weather is...  more »
  • Istanbul is an amazing city with spans both Europe and Asia and has one of the most diverse populations (16.5 mil) of any city I have visited. The museum is on the European side and houses amazing... 
    Istanbul is an amazing city with spans both Europe and Asia and has one of the most diverse populations (16.5 mil) of any city I have visited. The museum is on the European side and houses amazing...  more »
  • massive and needs a long time. outstanding museum. would have been five stars if the audio guide was available or working and the staff at th entrance abit more helpful. It was compltely renovate =d.....  more
    massive and needs a long time. outstanding museum. would have been five stars if the audio guide was available or working and the staff at th entrance abit more helpful. It was compltely renovate =d.....  more »
Google
  • Very cool museum with many ancient artifacts. I only wish that there was more to see and more detailed exhibits. Many placards had only limited information. Also, they keep the lights very dim throughout the museum, I assume to preserve the nature of many of the artifacts, but it would have been nice to be able to see things in a better light. Still it’s worth a trip if you’re into ancient history.
  • Perhaps the best part of my Turkey visit. Expansive, educational and elaborate collection of artifacts displayed tastefully and with great detail of information. The Museum has several sections so one can easily spend an entire day here. The Sarcophagus displays, statue displays and the section about Troy are fascinating. Worth getting the audio tour for extra information as its missing on many pieces. There's a nice cafe outside to relax after the tour. The ticket queue was unnaturally slow and could have been a lot better
  • It's quite an impressive museum, much better than anticipated. There is a couple of amazing things there, and the museum itself feels new and freshly renovated. Everything is in English, but the line to buy tickets will take up at least 30 minutes of your time.
  • Great museum. Lots of exhibits, one more interesting than the other and a perfect organization. Definitely worth a visit, preferably with a personal guide, but in any case, without haste. It takes about two hours to see and admire all its artifacts, starting with the wonderful sarcophagi and continuing with the splendid Roman and Greek statues, the pottery of ancient Greece, the jewelry of Asia Minor and the coins of Byzantium. Super !
  • Incredibly vast museum highlighting the art and way of living of civilizations before us. I love the personal finds like the oldest love poem, as well as how they mapped out how a particular area lived over centuries according where in the layers of soil the items were excavated. The vast crypts and its mausoleum were interesting too. The only downside would be the cats were greedy and not friendly at all 🥲

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