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Museum Pass Istanbul is a card available to all foreign tourists visiting Istanbul. It gives access to several museums and historical sites in the city.
Is It Worth It?
A Museum Pass Istanbul costs 105€ (as of April 2024). When Hagia Sophia and the Chora Church were open as museums and you could see them in their full glory, the pass was definitely worth it. You were able to visit those sites as well as Topkapi Palace plus the Harem and perhaps the Istanbul Archaeology Museums, and you would get more than your money’s worth. Without those two star attractions, you don’t get as much bang for your buck.
Now, I would only recommend spending money on the Museum Pass Istanbul only if you plan on seeing Topkapi Palace and AT LEAST five other museums. The only real advantage now is that you save a lot of time skipping the potentially long lines waiting to buy tickets at Topkapi Palace.
A better value, if you plan on traveling around Turkey for a couple weeks, is the Museum Pass Türkiye. It costs more than the Museum Pass Istanbul but is valid for 15 days at every site in the country run by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. So if you’re heading down to Ephesus and over to Cappadocia, you’ll get your money’s worth by visiting Topkapi Palace and most of the other museums in Istanbul.
Where It Works
The pass is valid for 120 hours, which start at the first point of entry, and works at 11 sites. Purchase points are at any of the main museums that grant free admission with the card:
