Must-See Art Museums in Istanbul

One of the indispensable activities of touristic visits is museum visits. Whether it is at home or abroad, museums are among the most beautiful places that provide us with organized information about that city in a closed space, and that make us internalize and learn the culture and texture of the city. After museum visits, even drinking tea or coffee in the garden of the museum, if there is one, or in the cafes that are located in almost every museum building today fills us with peace.

In a country like Turkey that bears traces from every period of history, although archaeological museums come to mind first, modern art museums, whose number we hope will increase especially in Istanbul, which has become a world city, are starting to make their presence felt more intensely in recent years. In fact, we can now see the most beautiful examples of modern art museums that bring together the various forms of expression, different attitudes and approaches of contemporary art presented in different parts of the world, in Istanbul.

Let's remember, during the pandemic period, when we were locked in our homes, we had access to many of the museums we will talk about in a moment from online platforms. And during this period, modern art museums began to attract the attention of not only art lovers but also everyone with their internationally qualified collections. Now, we are listing the museums that we had the chance to see in person for you. Here are the must-see art museums in Istanbul...

ISTANBUL MODERN ART MUSEUM

Hosting temporary and temporary collections since 2004, the Modern Museum has been operating with great devotion and care since the day it was opened in order to increase interest in modern art. One of the visions of the Modern Museum is to raise a generation of art lovers. In order to serve this purpose, in addition to the exhibitions and galleries in the museum, there are also free education programs, workshops and social project activities. The museum, which is closed on Mondays, is open from Tuesday to Saturday between 10:00-18:00. On Thursdays, there is no museum entrance fee for guests residing in Turkey.

PERA MUSEUM

Pera Museum, founded under the leadership of Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation, has been actively bringing together works of art from around the world and Turkey with art lovers since 2005 at the Bristol Hotel, designed by Architect Achille Manoussos in accordance with the architecture of the period. Therefore, it is very difficult to visit Pera Museum and not be impressed by its ambiance. In addition to the exhibition of the collections belonging to the foundation, it is also possible to see important names of world art at Pera Museum with its temporary exhibitions. The museum, which is open from Tuesday to Saturday between 10:00-19:00, is also free on Fridays between 18:00-22:00! In addition, with the Young Wednesday application, all students who want to visit the museum can visit for free all day.

ARTER

Opened in 2010 as an institution of Vehbi Koç Foundation, Arter provides services with a sustainable culture-art approach. Not only exhibitions, but also providing a breathing space for different directions of art, Arter includes many innovative disciplines such as performing arts, classical, contemporary and electronic music, film, performance art and digital arts within the scope of the event.

SALT GALATA and SALT BEYOĞLU

SALT museums, established with the sponsorship of Garanti BBVA, not only offer the special information and resources within the institution to its interested parties in addition to art exhibitions, but also reveal their difference from other art museums with the steps they have taken in the field of web and digitalization. SALT, which carries out multi-disciplinary studies, also conducts economic and historical studies in the fields of architecture and design. We definitely recommend that you take a look at the event calendar on their website before visiting SALT museums, which have an active operation.

GALLERY ELLIPSIS

Gallery Elipsis is the first private photography gallery in Turkey. Located in the back streets of Karaköy, the gallery aims to support young and promising artists and reach wider audiences. In the gallery, where you will see the works of local and foreign artists, you will encounter an effort that will change your perspective on life.

YAPI KREDI ART GALLERY

One of the most visited art galleries in Turkey, Yapı Kredi Art Gallery was first opened in Galatasaray in 1964 under the name of Kazım Taşkent, the founder of Yapı ve Kredi Bankası. The gallery, which aims to support amateur artists and make art popular and spread it to the masses, has hosted and still does the works of very important artists. Located on İstiklal Street, one of the most popular spots in Istanbul, the gallery takes its place in the art memory of everyone who visits it. Open every day, the gallery is open to visitors between 10:00-19:00 on weekdays, 11:00-19:00 on Saturdays and 12:00-19:00 on Sundays.

X-İST

An art gallery located in Karaköy, one of the liveliest spots in the city, draws attention. X-ist. 2004