Topkapı Palace
The sultans’ palace on Sarayburnu: courtyards, the Imperial Council, the treasury and the terraces over the water. Dated entry, sold online on its own site.
Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum
A separate museum beside Hagia Sophia in the Defter-i Hakani building, telling the great building's story in 13 halls with immersive shows in 23 languages.
About the museum
The Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum is not the Hagia Sophia mosque itself. It is a separate museum next door in Sultanahmet, housed in the well-known Defter-i Hakani Nezareti building, made to tell the story of the great monument for visitors who want the whole picture.
It spreads across 13 halls and about 3,200 square metres of indoor space and follows Hagia Sophia's roughly 1,700-year history through both its Byzantine and Ottoman periods. The story is told with immersive sound and image, using up-to-date technology, and the presentation is available in 23 different languages.
The museum is arranged in four sections that follow the building's changing roles: Church, Mosque, Museum and Mosque again. It shows objects from the Hagia Sophia collection, many of them on display for the first time. Through windows on the ground floor you can also see a Byzantine-era cistern beneath the building. In short, it is a good introduction or a follow-up to your visit to the monument itself, giving context that the mosque cannot present the same way.
Tips
- It is a different building from the Hagia Sophia mosque, so check which one you are going to.
- Visit either before or after the mosque for context on its four phases.
- Check the official page for current hours and status.
Questions
When is Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum open?
According to the Ministry’s listing it opens at 09:00 and closes at 20:00 (last entry 19:00). Open every day.
Can I buy tickets for Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum on this site?
No. This site sells no tickets. Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia and Dolmabahçe Palace are sold on our sister sites; for Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum, buy at the ticket office or on the Ministry’s official e-ticket system.
Where is Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum?
Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum is in Istanbul, Türkiye — Binbirdirek Mahallesi. At Meydanı Sokak. No:10 Fatih/ İstanbul.
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