The Istanbul Archaeology Museum, with over one million artifacts from various civilizations, is one of the largest museums in the world. It was founded by Osman Hamdi Bey as the “Imperial Museum” in the late 19th century and opened to the public on June 13, 1891.

The museum has three main sections:

  • Archaeology Museum (Main Building)

  • Museum of the Ancient Orient

  • Tiled Pavilion Museum

It hosts Turkey’s first institutional museum collections from the Ottoman to Republican period. Famous artifacts such as the Alexander Sarcophagus from the Sidon Royal Necropolis are displayed here. The main building was expanded in 1903 and 1907, with additional structures added between 1969–1983.

🌐 www.istanbularkeoloji.gov.tr
📍 5–10 minute walk from Kaftan Hotel