Istanbul Archaeology Museums

The Istanbul Archaeology Museums sit between the gardens of Topkapı Palace and Gülhane Park. This is Turkey's first museum and one of the richest collections of the ancient world in the region.

History of the museum

It opened in 1891 on the initiative of the painter and archaeologist Osman Hamdi Bey. Today it has three buildings: the main Archaeology Museum, the Museum of the Ancient Orient and the Tiled Kiosk of 1472, which houses tiles and ceramics.

What to see

• The Alexander Sarcophagus from the royal necropolis of Sidon.
• The clay tablet of the Treaty of Kadesh in the Museum of the Ancient Orient.
• Finds from Troy, Mesopotamia and Anatolia.
• Seljuk and Ottoman tiles in the Tiled Kiosk.

Tips for visiting

The easiest way in is through the Gülhane Park gate, close to the Gülhane stop on the T1 tram. Allow at least two hours; it fits well into the same day as Topkapı.