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.
Istanbul Airport Museum
The world's largest airport museum, inside the international terminal of Istanbul Airport, with a rotating exhibition drawn from Türkiye's museums.
About the museum
Opened on 17 July 2020, the Istanbul Airport Museum covers 1,000 square metres and describes itself as the largest airport museum in the world. Instead of a permanent display, it plans a new temporary exhibition each year, which keeps the space fresh for repeat travellers.
The first show was called Treasures of Türkiye: Faces of the Throne. It set out to tell 12,000 years of Anatolian history through the idea of rule and rulers, and it works as a small Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, with more than 300 works from prehistory through the Hittite, Urartian, Phrygian, Lydian, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods to the Republic of Türkiye.
The pieces, 316 selected works from 29 different museums across the country, give travellers with a few hours to spare a way to encounter the depth of Turkish history without leaving the terminal.
Check what is currently on show, since the exhibition changes.
Tips
- The museum is in the international departures area, so only passengers who have passed passport control can visit.
- Exhibitions change over time; check the official page for what is on now.
Questions
When is Istanbul Airport Museum open?
According to the Ministry’s listing it opens at 08:30 and closes at 19:00 (last entry 18:30). Open every day.
Can I buy tickets for Istanbul Airport 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 Istanbul Airport Museum, buy at the ticket office or on the Ministry’s official e-ticket system.
Where is Istanbul Airport Museum?
Istanbul Airport Museum is in Istanbul, Türkiye — Tayakadın,GTR365,İstanbul Yeni Havalimanı Terminal cad.Dış Hatlar Geliş,Arnavutköy.
Istanbul tickets online
Four Istanbul landmarks, each sold on its own site by the agency behind this guide — dated entry and free cancellation up to 24 hours.
Basilica Cistern
Justinian’s great underground reservoir: 336 columns in still water and the two Medusa heads. Fast-track entry with a digital audio guide.
Hagia Sophia
Justinian’s cathedral, the sultans’ mosque and a working mosque again today. The ticket admits you to the upper visitor gallery.
Dolmabahçe Palace
A nineteenth-century palace on the water’s edge: the Selamlık, the Ceremonial Hall under its chandelier, the crystal staircase and the Harem.