Istanbul Archaeology Museums is the first building which was built as a museum in Turkey. It was constructed in 1891 by the very successful artist Osman Hamdi Bey, who is the painter of the famous "The Tortoise Trainer".
It is less known compared to other major sights but is certainly worth a visit. You can sit next to ancient statues and relax under the shades of tall trees in the garden cafe of the museum and deeply feel the ancient history of civilizations in Turkey. This museum is the only one in Turkey with a major Sumerian Turkish tablet and artifacts collection. Don't forget to check it.
It is located in the direction of Gulhane Park entrance, next to Topkapi Palace, in Gulhane. It can be easily reached by walking down the First Court of Topkapi Palace or by walking up from the main gate of Gülhane Park. It is called 'Archaeology Museums' because it consists of three different museum buildings: the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Ancient Near East, and the Tiled Kiosk.
On the left side of the entrance, there is the Museum of Ancient Near East. Anatolian pieces, pre-Islamic items collection, 'Tablet Archive' which includes 75,000 documents, Kades Agreement, Anatolian, Greek, Trojan, Mesopotamian including Sumerian, Arabic, and Egyptian art works are displayed in this building.
Opposite the Museum of Ancient Near East is the Archaeology Museum, which displays a huge collection of Hellenistic and Roman works of art. The Alexander Sarcophagus, Mourning Women Sarcophagus, Sidamara Sarcophagus, and Ottoman coins, seals, decorations, and medals can also be seen.
The Tiled Kiosk was built in 1472 and has collections of Seljuk, Anatolian, and Ottoman tiles and ceramics.
Besides the collections, the gardens and architecture of the buildings are also very beautiful.
Admission: Approximately 300 TL for all three museums. Museum Pass Istanbul is accepted.
Hours: Open daily 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (summer), 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (winter). Closed on Mondays.
Getting there: Walk down the hill or take the tram to Gülhane station, one stop from Sultanahmet. The museum is a 5-10 minute walk uphill from the station.
Time needed: At least 3-4 hours to see all three buildings properly.
Turkey has always been an important region throughout history, and these museums reflect its unique historic importance perfectly! This gem of a museum is often overlooked by guides but is well worth seeing.