Istanbul Modern (Art Museum), Istanbul
Spotlighting artists who have been left out of the modern art conversation in a wonderfully curated, thought-provoking way, the Istanbul Modern gives visitors a taste of the "new city", breaking from the centuries-old mosques, churches and architecture elsewhere found.
The museum was opened in a former maritime warehouse on the Sea of Marmara and features exhibition spaces on both floors. The top floor hosts the permanent collection, rooms for education programs, a shop, and a café, while the lower one is used for temporary exhibitions, Istanbul Modern Cinema, and the library.
While from the outside the building is not anything special, inside it has a light and airy space with magnificent views of the city. While the entry price is on the steeper side by local standards, the extra investment is well worth it. There nice little café – a must for any museum worth its salt – has more (than) reasonable prices, so it all balances out. Audio guides – good to have if you're interested in hearing directly from the artists – are available in English and Turkish, with a duration of ~45 minutes.
Why You Should Visit:
To get a new perspective on Turkish culture; a must for anyone interested in art and the question of identity and expression.
Tip:
The gift shop has a great selection of souvenirs, including some interesting jewelry.
The museum was opened in a former maritime warehouse on the Sea of Marmara and features exhibition spaces on both floors. The top floor hosts the permanent collection, rooms for education programs, a shop, and a café, while the lower one is used for temporary exhibitions, Istanbul Modern Cinema, and the library.
While from the outside the building is not anything special, inside it has a light and airy space with magnificent views of the city. While the entry price is on the steeper side by local standards, the extra investment is well worth it. There nice little café – a must for any museum worth its salt – has more (than) reasonable prices, so it all balances out. Audio guides – good to have if you're interested in hearing directly from the artists – are available in English and Turkish, with a duration of ~45 minutes.
Why You Should Visit:
To get a new perspective on Turkish culture; a must for anyone interested in art and the question of identity and expression.
Tip:
The gift shop has a great selection of souvenirs, including some interesting jewelry.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Istanbul. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Istanbul Modern (Art Museum) on Map
Sight Name: Istanbul Modern (Art Museum)
Sight Location: Istanbul, Turkey (See walking tours in Istanbul)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Istanbul, Turkey (See walking tours in Istanbul)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Istanbul, Turkey
Create Your Own Walk in Istanbul
Creating your own self-guided walk in Istanbul is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Istanbul City Walls
One of the most elaborate fortification systems of ancient times, the Walls of Constantinople were built by Constantine the Great to protect the city, the then newly-established capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, from attacks by land and sea. Of these, only the Golden Gate, an old ceremonial gateway into the city, had survived by the late Byzantine Era when a new series of land walls were added... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.2 Km or 3.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.2 Km or 3.2 Miles
Asian Side and Bosphorus Walking Tour
Istanbul is the only megalopolis in the world that straddles two continents. The Bosphorus Strait splits Turkey's biggest city into two parts: European and Asian. The latter, known locally as Asya Yakası (“Asian Side”), or more commonly as Anadolu Yakası (“Anatolian Side”), is found east of the strait, geographically on the Asian mainland.
The vast Anatolian shore, wrongly... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles
The vast Anatolian shore, wrongly... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles
Byzantine Heritage Walking Tour
Originated as a Greek city called Byzantium, what's now known as Istanbul initially made name as Constantinople, an Eastern Roman imperial capital whose greatness had lasted for over a millennium, from 330 AD until the Ottoman invasion in 1453.
The Byzantine Empire’s rich cultural and architectural heritage is still preserved in dazzling sites throughout the city. Away from its Islamic... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
The Byzantine Empire’s rich cultural and architectural heritage is still preserved in dazzling sites throughout the city. Away from its Islamic... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Bosphorus Coast Walking Tour
One of the planet's most praised stretches of water, the Bosphorus is a source of great pride for Istanbulites and of admiration for travelers. The 30-km strait dividing Europe and Asia and connecting the Marmara with the Black Sea is one of the city's highlights, having been for all ages the subject of legend and art.
This self-guided walk will take you along the coast so that you... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles
This self-guided walk will take you along the coast so that you... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles
Istanbul Old City Walking Tour
Situated at the heart of Old Istanbul, the Sultanahmet neighborhood is a fascinating hub of historical timeline. Dramatically located on a peninsula pointing across the Bosphorus Strait to Asia, this area was formerly an administrative pole of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires, and as such, reflects numerous influences of the cultures once prevalent here.
Whether you feel like walking... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Whether you feel like walking... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Istanbul Introduction Walking Tour
Formerly known as “Byzantium”, “Constantinople” and “New Rome”, Istanbul is the main city of Turkey, straddling the Bosphorus Strait, and as such, bridging the gap between Europe and Asia, both geographically and culturally. This ancient transcontinental metropolis embraces cultural influences of the many empires and civilizations that once ruled and flourished on this land.
... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.3 Km or 2.7 Miles
... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.3 Km or 2.7 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
Istanbul Shopping Guide: 16 Turkish Items To Bring Home
Istanbul, known throughout history as Byzantium and Constantinople, has been a major center of commerce and trade, a place where merchants and general folk would rush to regularly in search of exotic things. In our days, modern travelers to Istanbul are also bound to enjoy a truly magnificent...