Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum Skip-the-Ticket-Line Entry with Audio Guide
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Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum Skip-the-Line Online Ticket with Audio Guide
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Are you ready to discover the Turkish and Islamic arts of Istanbul?
The Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum has the world's largest carpet collection. This is indeed a great place for antique and history lovers! There are carpets from the Seljuk Empire, Iran, and the Caucasus. And many impressive collections of hand-written calligraphy, imperial edicts, ancient Qurans, and other written works.
Exploring the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum in the best way is so easy with the Istanbul Tourist Pass®! Skip the ticket lines and get your instant QR ticket when you arrive at the entrance of the Museum! You will enjoy hearing the hidden stories, architecture, and history of the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum from a specially prepared audio guide by Istanbul Tourist Pass®!
Istanbul Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum will be one of your favorite spots if you are interested in history and different cultures! Visiting this place is extremely easy with the Istanbul Tourist Pass®. Pre-book your tickets and plan your visit!
About The Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum Skip-the-Ticket-Line Entry with Audio Guide
Mobile ticketing - No need for printed voucher, we're digital!
Duration - Unlimited free time in Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
Instant confirmation - Pre-booking is required.
Audio Guide - English
Highlights
Skip the ticket lines and get your digital QR tickets instantly when you arrive at the entrance!
Listen to the history of Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum from your exclusive audio guide
See famous and important Artifacts in Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
Discover the Damascus Documents and Old Door of the Cizre Ulu Camii
Amaze yourself with the amazing Carpets and Rugs Section
Look closely at the Religious Relics and Wooden Relics
Visit the 19th Century Ethnography Exhibition inside the museum
Includes
Entry to the Islamic Arts Museum
Professional Audio Guide in English
Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
Visit the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum and see the world's largest carpet collection including rare carpets from the Seljuk Empire, Iranian and Caucasian regions, collections of hand-written calligraphy, imperial edicts, ancient Qurans, and many other written works. Admire the collections of wooden, glass, ceramic, and stone articles by artists from former Islamic regions on display.
The museum was originally located in the soup kitchen of the Süleymaniye Mosque complex and later relocated to its current location in the İbrahim Paşa Palace, next to the Blue Mosque.
Pre-book your tickets and get your QR tickets instantly when you arrive at the Museum! Skip the long ticket lines and discover the museum at your own pace while listening to your specially prepared audio guide!
For this amazing experience and more, Buy Your Pass Now! Istanbul Tourist Pass® is here to make your Istanbul trip an unforgettable experience!
Hours & Meeting
Opening time: 09:00
Closing time: 17:00
Check here to plan your visit and Pre-Book your ticket
How To Get There?
The museum is in Sultan Ahmet Square, very close to the Blue Mosque, which is in the Fatih district of Istanbul. It is a very common place for both tourists and locals, so transportation is quite simple.
The most common method is using the Kabatas – Bagcilar tramway and getting off at the Sultanahmet station. From there, it is a 5-minute walk.
To get to the Kabatas – Bagcilar tramway from the Asian side, you can use the ferries to Eminonu from Kadikoy or Uskudar.
Get DirectionsImportant Information
This is not a guided tour. Enjoy discovering the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum at your own pace by listening to the specially curated Audio Guide.
The QR tickets are only shown when you are in close proximity to the entrance of the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum.
You need an Internet connection on your smartphone to get your QR tickets. For unlimited internet access get your mobile hotspot device with a discount here.
Children will be asked to present their valid passports at the entrance of the museums in order to validate their age. Children under 5 can enter the museum for free.
The museum is closed for visits for half a day on the first day of Ramadan and Sacrifice Festivals.
You can buy your online ticket separately from the Istanbul Tourist Pass®
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Online Entrance Ticket to Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum with an Audio Guide is Included in Istanbul Tourist Pass®️
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All About Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum Skip-the-Ticket-Line Entry with Audio Guide
Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum is one of the most significant historical centers in all of Istanbul as it is the primary Turkish exhibition hall presenting many of the important examples of Turkish and Islamic art together. If you are keen on history, and/or doing an old city tour in Istanbul, don't miss this one and visit it during your time in Istanbul. To learn everything you need to know about the place, here are the history and some facts about the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum.
History of Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
The building the museum is in today was built back in the 15th or 16th century during the reign of Bayezid II. When exactly it was constructed is unknown, but it is known that it was given to Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha by Suleiman the Magnificent, who was his second grand vizier. The place was named Ibrahim Pasha Palace and following Ibrahim Pasha’s passing, the palace retained its name and became a government asset for the next 250 years. It was given to various government officials who were married into the royal family. Ibrahim Pasha Palace is the only private palace from the Ottomans that has survived until today except for some sultan palaces, so you can say the building that houses the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum is a historical artifact in itself.
Originally, the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum was opened to visitors in the Suleymaniye Mosque’s social complex in 1913. It received its current name after the restoration work to transform the Ibrahim Pasha Palace into a museum. These restorations started in 1966 and lasted until 1981. In 1983, it officially opened its doors to visitors as the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum and has been open to this date.
Important Artifacts in Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
There are many different sections in the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum. Each section has enough artifacts to be a museum by itself with its many various artifacts. You should see all of them during your visit of the museum, but there are a couple of artifacts that stand out from the rest with their looks and/or their history.
Damascus Documents
Some of the earliest examples of Islamic Art, are important historical and religious documents. Various Qur’an parchments, documents about Damascus’ history, Qur’an roll manuscripts, and documents on different Islamic arts are some of the highlights.
Old Door of the Cizre Ulu Camii (Great Mosque)
Rescued from the Great Mosque in Cizre, this double-wing door is believed to have belonged to Artuqids. It is covered with bronze plates and has a wooden skeleton. Its ornaments are made from brass sticks and plaques. There are 3 medallions that symbolize infinity with a twelve-armed star in the center on each wing of the door. On the middle of both wings, you can see the door handles that have two dragons with a lion head on the middle. The epitaph that sits on top of the door is written in the Thuluth font.
Carpets and Rugs Section
One of the most striking sections is the carpets and rugs of varying sizes displayed in the huge saloons with display windows. Huge hand-woven Ottoman carpets are truly impressive and have unbelievable details. There are also carpets from Seljuk Turks displayed here, which are the only Seljuk carpets that survived until today. This collection is made of 13th to 20th-century Ottoman and Seljuk carpets is one of the world’s best collections of hand-woven carpets. With enough observation, you can tell the fantastic stylistic differences between Ottoman and Seljuk carpets and rugs.
Religious Relics
To see some of the rarest artifacts regarding Islamic history, visit the religious relics section in the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum. There are many different religious manuscripts, Qur’ans, and epitaphs. This section also hosts the striking fragments of Prophet Muhammad’s beard and one of his footsteps, which draws a lot of Muslims from around the world.
Wooden Relics
If you wish to witness the wooden arts of the 9th- 10th century Anatolia, visit the wooden relics segment. There is a wide range of examples of wooden craftsmanship from Anatolian Seljuks, Period of Principalities, and Ottomans. There are wooden relics with inscriptions on them, different Qur'an parts, various Ottoman furniture like footstools and drawers, some examples of marquetry, and more.
19th Century Ethnography Exhibition
The museum’s ethnography part displays some of the important elements of 19th-century Istanbul such as traditional Ottoman clothes, Turkish baths, coffee houses, picnic areas, and Karagoz & Hacivat shows.
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Advantages Of Istanbul Tourist Pass®
By having the Istanbul Tourist Pass®, you can visit more than 100+ attractions in Istanbul. You can save huge amount of time and money by not waiting in the long queues or paying fees at the entrances of the museums or for other facilities and activities. You can buy the Istanbul Tourist Pass®️ for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 or 10 days. So many attractions are available with Istanbul Tourist Pass®️ such as Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, Dolmabahçe Palace, Sapanca Lake daily tour, Dinner on the Bosphorus, Istanbul Airport Shuttle etc. included in the pass. For more details and updated attractions available with the pass can be found on website.
Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum Skip-the-Ticket-Line Entry with Audio Guide Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Get in Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum with Istanbul Tourist Pass®️?
What is There to See in the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum?
You will find many ancient artifacts in the museum. Some of them include manuscripts, carpets, woodwork and more.
How to Get to the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum?
The museum is located in Sultanahmet Square. You can take the Bagcilar-Kabatas tram and get off at Sultanahmet station.
When Does the Museum Open?
Turkish and Islamic Art Museum is open every day. Summer Period Hours (1 April - 31 October) Opening time: 09:00 & Closing time: 21:00. Winter Period Hours (31 October - 1 April) Opening time: 09:00 & Closing time: 18:30.
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Yes, an Online Entrance Ticket to the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum with an Audio Guide is Included in Istanbul Tourist Pass®️. You can also purchase the ticket separately.