Turkey
15 Best Museums in Turkey
If museums are your reason to travel, this is Turkey sorted for you.
Order reflects review volume from real travelers in Turkey. Refreshed monthly.
Topkapi Palace Museum
Museum · IstanbulTopkapi Palace Museum is a vast complex that served as the primary residence of Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years, from the 15th to the 19th century.
Read our full guide →Topkapı Palace
Museum · IstanbulTopkapı Palace was the administrative and residential heart of the Ottoman Empire for nearly 400 years.
Read our full guide →Istanbul Archaeological Museums
Museum · IstanbulThe Istanbul Archaeological Museums are a trio of museums located in the Eminönü district, near Topkapı Palace.
Read our full guide →War of Independence Museum
Museum · AnkaraThe War of Independence Museum occupies the original building where the Grand National Assembly convened from 1920 to 1924.
Read our full guide →Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
Museum · AnkaraThe Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, located in a restored 15th-century bedesten (covered bazaar) in Ankara, is one of the world's premier archaeology museums.
Read our full guide →Anadolu Medeniyetleri Muzesi
Museum · AnkaraThe Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara is one of the finest archaeology museums in the world, a beautifully arranged collection tracing the deep human history of Anatolia (Asia Minor) from…
Read our full guide →Bursa Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art
Museum · BursaHoused in a beautifully restored Ottoman building, the Bursa Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art showcases the region's rich artistic heritage.
Read our full guide →Republic Museum
Museum · AnkaraThe Republic Museum is located in the building that served as the second parliament of Turkey from 1924 to 1960.
Read our full guide →Rahmi M. Koc Muzesi
Museum · AnkaraRahmi M. Koc Muzesi is a private industrial museum located in the Altindag district of Ankara, set within a beautifully restored 19th-century anchor foundry.
Read our full guide →Rumeli Fortress
Museum · IstanbulRumeli Fortress, also known as Rumeli Hisarı, is an imposing medieval fortress located on the European shore of the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul.
Read our full guide →Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
Museum · IstanbulThe Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum is located in the historic Ibrahim Pasha Palace, overlooking the Hippodrome.
Read our full guide →Bostanlı Open-air Archaeological Museum
Museum · IzmirThe Bostanlı Open-air Archaeological Museum offers a unique blend of history and nature, showcasing ancient artifacts and ruins scattered throughout a park along İzmir's coastline.
Read our full guide →Gaziantep Mevlevi Culture and Foundation Works Museums
Museum · GaziantepHoused in a meticulously restored Ottoman-era structure, the Gaziantep Mevlevi Culture and Foundation Works Museums offer a dual experience.
Read our full guide →Ulucanlar Cezaevi Muzesi
Museum · AnkaraUlucanlar Cezaevi Muzesi, once a notorious prison, now stands as a poignant museum in the heart of Ankara.
Read our full guide →Ethnography Museum of Ankara
Museum · AnkaraThe Ethnography Museum of Ankara, located in the Ulus district, houses an extensive collection of traditional Turkish artifacts, including carpets, costumes, and woodwork.
Read our full guide →
Good to know
What is the best-known of the museums in Turkey?
Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul is the most reviewed, with 117,841 traveler reviews and a 4.6 rating. That makes it the safe choice if you are only fitting in one.
Which of Turkey's museums is worth going out of your way for?
War of Independence Museum in Ankara rates highest at 4.8 out of 5 across 4,707 reviews. Smaller crowds than the headline entry usually explain the gap.
Which city in Turkey has the most museums?
Ankara, with 7 on this list, ahead of Istanbul on 5. The list spans 5 cities in total, capped at three per city so one big city cannot crowd out the rest of the country.
How is this list of museums ranked?
By how many travelers reviewed each place, filtered to those rated well enough to be worth your time, drawn from 725 tracked places in Turkey. No one pays to appear on it, and the order is refreshed monthly as new reviews land.
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