İstanbul Demiryolu Müzesi
Housed in the Europe-side railway terminus of 1890, this exhibits Ottoman and modern Turkish railway history. The Orient Express came and went from here, with passengers for further east transferring to ferries then the Asia-side terminus of Haydarpaşa, for trains to Crimea, Baghdad and Damascus.
Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, last entry 16:40·Free
A place that serves home-made style foods ("ev yemekleri") which you can order from the counter. Great variety.
Daily 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.·200-300 ₺
İstanbul Arkeoloji Müzeleri
Turkey was slow to protect its antiquities and to display them properly, but in 1867 Sultan Abdülaziz toured the museums of Paris, London and Vienna and saw what was needed. The main collection is in a grand neo-classical building of 1891, with two annexes for ancient art and Islamic art. Exhibits include Sumerian tablets, pieces of the wall of Babylon, Roman statues, and the Alexander Sarcophagus. There are very detailed historical explanations in both Turkish and English. There is also quite an accurate exhibition about the historical layers and epochs of the city of Troy. If you are passionate about history, you can spend many hours here, so bring a supply of water and food (the museum café is quite expensive). In the summer, on Saturdays and Sundays, they have concerts in the courtyard.
Daily 09:00-17:30. The Tiled Kiosk and the Museum of Oriental Art are closed as of October 2025·Adult €15. Beware of the ticket office staff adding the audio guide to the ticket price without asking if you want it. It's not compulsory and you don't need it. Check the bill before paying!
The imperial enclave of the Ottoman emperors for four centuries. Lavishly decorated, with exhibitions of fine craftmanship and four courts of increasing grandeur. The second court has the Harem and the State Treasury, housing a weaponry display. On the right, towards the Bosphorus, there is the kitchen exhibition, also with a collection of coffee cups throughout the centuries. The third court has the Imperial Treasury on the right (also with a great view over the Bosphorus) and a collection of Islamic and Christian relics on the left. The views from the Fourth Court over the Bosphorus are spectacular. Reckon on spending several hours here and bring water as the museum kiosk is overpriced. The museum kiosk is in the kitchen section, on the right-hand side of the second court. Toilets can also be found there, towards the beginning of the second court. These have a shorter line than those in the second court, towards the third court.
Wed-Mon 09:00-17:00·Adult 2750 TL (combi for Palace, Harem and Hagia Irene)