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You’ll find a handful of decent museums along the length of Istiklal Street in Istanbul, Turkey. In this post, I’ll cover some of these museums starting at Taksim Square and working my way south to Tünel.
Madame Tussauds Istanbul (Permanently Closed)
First is Madame Tussauds Istanbul, which is a fun place to pop into if you have some extra time to kill. It’s located in the Grand Pera Mall on Istiklal Street. It’s not a must see, but it’s good if you’ve run out of things to do in Istanbul or you need to get out of the rain. Check the official website for more info. (Note: Madame Tussauds Istanbul permanently closed on January 1, 2025.)
Madame Tussauds Istanbul is your typical wax museum, but this one is geared towards Turkish visitors. There are lots of Turkish entertainers, athletes, and historical personalities on display. Visitors are allowed to touch the wax figures and take photos with them. Props are sometimes available to make photos more fun. We spent about an hour inside.
First Wax Figures
At the entrance, there were figures of Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram and Bruce Willis. After riding the lift down one level, there was a figure of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938), the founder of the Turkish Republic, which is to be expected in any Turkish wax museum.
Ottoman Historical Figures
The next gallery includes a handful of important people from throughout Ottoman history. They included sultans, architect Mimar Sinan (c. 1490-1588), and Rumi (1207-1273).
Modern Turkish Historical Figures
Next is a room with a few modern Turkish historical figures. I sat down and had a deep “conversation” with author Yaşar Kemal (1923-2015). Turkey’s first female Prime Minister, Tansu Çiller, is at her desk nearby. The country’s first female fighter pilot, Sabiha Gökçen (1913-2001), is also featured.
International Historical Figures
The next room consists of wax figures known internationally throughout history. Leonardo da Vinci, Mozart, Steve Jobs, and Albert Einstein are all on display.
Another display nearby shows how Madame Tussauds creates wax figures, but it isn’t very informative or interesting.
Athletes
A large section containing athletes follows. Tennis stars Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova stood among Muhammad Ali and Usain Bolt.
There are also figures of footballers Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. I had a little too much fun with the Neymar figure.
A few Turkish athletes also feature. Basketball great Hidayet Türkoğlu and footballer Arda Turan are on display.
Musicians
Musicians are popular with visitors. Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Demi Lovato, and Lady Gaga draw lots of crowds as does Bob Marley. Justin Bieber is also on display.
As far as Turkish musicians, you can see figures of rock star Barış Manço (1943-1999) and Zeki Müren (1931-1966) each wearing their signature flamboyant outfits.
Movie Stars and Entertainers
One of the biggest sections of Madame Tussauds Istanbul contains movie personalities, including several actors and actresses as well as characters and other entertainers. We got to see Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. There are also figures of Marilyn Monroe and Vin Diesel.
Award-winning director Steven Spielberg stands near one of his most famous creations, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. I was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of flying on a bike with E.T. Tom Cruise, Jackie Chan, and Shrek all feature as well.
Another room includes Turkish and Middle Eastern stars. I didn’t recognize most of them so this room wasn’t very interesting for me. Among the figures are Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ and Dubai-born comedian Bin Baz. American producer Carla DiBello sits on a couch in the next room while Lebanese entertainer Maya Diab stands in a corner.
The final room before exiting through the gift shop contains more of the world’s biggest stars. Footballer David Beckham as well as Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, and Angelina Jolie are all on display.
Istanbul Cinema Museum
The Istanbul Cinema Museum (İstanbul Sinema Müzesi) is an excellent museum chronicling the history of Turkish cinema and filmmaking in general. It’s located in the Atlas Passage (Atlas Pasajı) building on Istiklal Street. The building hosts the historic Atlas Cinema, which opened in 1948 and is still in operation. It was renovated between 2019 and 2021 to host the museum.
The Istanbul Cinema Museum is open daily except Mondays from 11am to 7pm. Adult admission is 240₺ (as of July 2024). The box office is in the lobby of the building to the left. Information is presented in both Turkish and English. You don’t have to be a lover of Turkish films to enjoy the museum! Visit the official website for more info.
First Floor
The first floor of the Istanbul Cinema Museum is focused mostly on Turkish cinema. One room contains an interactive display featuring classic Turkish films. Visitors focus an iPad on a photo and the iPad plays a short clip from the film.
In the large hall on the first floor is another interactive display with information on countless Turkish films. There are also a few wax figures of famous Turkish actors and some of the typical cameras used to capture them.
A small room off to one side has a telephone bank chronicling some of the most memorable phone conversations in Turkish films. Each clip has English subtitles. Finally, another interactive display allows visitors to learn how a green screen works firsthand.
Second Floor
Once on the second floor there’s a small room focusing on the origins of film, starting with shadow puppets and contraptions that produced moving images.
The next room continues with a history of filmmaking. It includes early cameras and the first filmmaking techniques, starting with innovations by the Lumière brothers in 1895.
More cameras follow, with models from Europe and the United States popular with filmmakers throughout the 20th century. The ornate fireplaces decorating these rooms were another highlight.
The camera room opens to the awards corner, featuring the accomplishments of several important Turkish directors. There’s also a section highlighting Turkish films that have won awards at international film festivals.
The final room on the second floor contains biographies and artifacts of Turkish actors and director Memduh Ün (1920-2015). There’s also the camera that recorded Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s (1881-1938) 10-year speech as well as a Steenbeck 16mm/35mm flatbed film editing table.
Third Floor
The third floor of the Istanbul Cinema Museum contains rotating exhibits. On display during my visit was a selection of photos showing what goes on behind the scenes of Turkish films.
Galatasaray Museum
The Galatasaray Museum (Galatasaray Müzesi) is on the upper floors of the Galatasaray Post Office at Galatasaray Square. It’s a good place to learn about the Galatasaray Sports Club (Galatasaray Spor Kulübü) and Galatasaray High School. The museum is open daily except Mondays from 10am to 6pm. Admission is free (as of October 2024), but everything is in Turkish.
Galatasaray Sports Club
The Galatasaray Museum begins on the second floor, where visitors learn about the history of the sports club. The club was founded on October 30, 1905, by Ali Sami Yen (1886-1951) and other students of the high school.
On display are trophies, photos, and artifacts related to all sports practiced at the club. Wax figures of Yen and Turkish football legend Metin Oktay (1936-1991) are among the most prominent items.
Galatasaray High School
Moving down to the first floor, there are a few rooms chronicling the history of the high school. On display are old diplomas, paintings, documents, and other items of interest.
A small section includes the influence of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on the school. Of particular interest is an unwashed coffee cup used by Atatürk during his second visit to the school on December 28, 1932.
I was personally interested to see documents from the school in Greek and Armenian as well as in Ottoman Turkish and French. Diplomas were once granted in French and Ottoman Turkish.
Yapı Kredi Cultural Center
On the opposite corner of Galatasaray Square is the Yapı Kredi Cultural Center (Yapı Kredi Kültür Sanat). It presents over 250 cultural events throughout the year as well as various temporary exhibitions ranging from photography to archaeology. There are also workshops and discussions. It’s open daily and admission is free (as of October 2024).
Exhibition Space
On the first through third levels of the Yapı Kredi Cultural Center, you’ll find temporary exhibition space. During my visit, on the first level there was a timeline of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s visits to Istanbul. It was filled with photos, newspaper clippings, and information of Atatürk’s activities during the visits.
The second and third level contained creative sculptures by Turkish artist Halil Altındere, who’s originally from Mardin. The entertaining exhibit featured mostly stationary wax figures, but there were also mechanical pieces as well.
Akdeniz
Walking up the stairs to the upper floors, there’s a great view of Galatasaray Square as well as an iron sculpture, Akdeniz. It was made by Turkish sculptor İlhan Koman (1921-1986) between 1978 and 1980.
Mehmet Akif Ersoy Memorial House
The Mehmet Akif Ersoy Memorial House (Mehmet Akif Ersoy Hatıra Evi) occupies the poet’s 3rd floor apartment in the Egypt Apartment building. It’s open daily and admission is free (as of October 2024).
Almost all of the information in the museum is in Turkish, but there are several artifacts on display that can tell Ersoy’s story without words. The main hall starts with a timeline of his life. On either side of the hall are two theaters. One projects a biography of Ersoy while another contains his poetry.
The museum continues with the first room on the left detailing Ersoy’s youth and years up until the Turkish War of Independence. It contains personal letters, photographs, and a detailed biography.
The room is connected to a small room displaying the Turkish National Anthem in both Ottoman Turkish and modern Turkish script, and the anthem playing on a loop.
The second room deals with Ersoy’s final years and legacy. On display are personal items such as his glasses and pocket watch, books he wrote, and more. There’s also a brief history of the Egypt Apartment on one wall.
In the center of the second room is a glass display case with paper bills and coins minted in Ersoy’s honor. Stamps containing his likeness are also included.
SALT Beyoğlu
A bit further down in the Siniossoglou Apartment is SALT Beyoğlu, the sister branch of SALT Galata. It contains modern art exhibitions related to critical contemporary issues. It’s open daily except Mondays and admission is free (as of October 2024).
İş Bank Painting and Sculpture Museum
Continuing along is the Baudouy Apartment, which currently hosts the İş Bank Painting and Sculpture Museum (Türkiye İş Bankası Resim Heykel Müzesi). It’s open daily except Mondays and admission for foreign adults is 100₺, 40₺ for foreigners over 65, and free for kids under 12 (as of October 2024). I’ll update with more info as soon as I have a chance to visit.
Meşher
At 211 Istiklal Street, you’ll find Meşher, which hosts excellent art exhibitions. The entrance is a few steps down Postacılar Street, which leads down to Tomtom Kaptan Street. Admission is free (as of October 2024) and it’s open daily except Mondays from 11am to 7pm.
Istanbul as Far as the Eye Can See
On my first visit to Meşher, the exhibition was Istanbul as Far as the Eye Can See: Views Across Five Centuries. It ran from September 20, 2023, to September 29, 2024. The exhibition featured over 100 rare works from the Ömer Koç Collection showing Istanbul through Western eyes.
The collection spanned 500 years from the 15th century through the 1st quarter of the 20th century. It included paintings, engravings, maps, books, photographs, souvenirs, and other works. The artists came from diverse backgrounds such as ambassadors, travelers, ship captains, writers, architects, and soldiers. Quotes on the walls accompanied the works.
According to the official website, “Rather than being yet another ode to the city, the exhibition encourages reflection on the diversity of its narratives and the differences in its many depictions”.
Selected Works from the Exhibition
![A Series of Eight Views, forming a Panorama of the Celebrated City of Constantinople, And its Environs, taken from the town [i.e. Tower] of Galata; London: Thomas Palser and Henry Aston Barker, 1813, first edition; Henry Aston Barker (1774-1856); 8 plates etched by C. Tomkins and aquatinted by F.C. & G. Lewis after drawings by Barker in Istanbul as Far as the Eye Can See at Meşher](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxNjAwIDExNjkiIHdpZHRoPSIxNjAwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjExNjkiIGRhdGEtdT0iaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZub21hZGljbmlrby5jb20lMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMTglMkYxMCUyRklNR18yNDM3LTIuanBlZyIgZGF0YS13PSIxNjAwIiBkYXRhLWg9IjExNjkiIGRhdGEtYmlwPSIiPjwvc3ZnPg==)
![Combined image of A Series of Eight Views, forming a Panorama of the Celebrated City of Constantinople, And its Environs, taken from the town [i.e. Tower] of Galata; London: Thomas Palser and Henry Aston Barker, 1813, first edition; Henry Aston Barker (1774-1856); 8 plates etched by C. Tomkins and aquatinted by F.C. & G. Lewis after drawings by Barker in Istanbul as Far as the Eye Can See at Meşher](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxNjAwIDQ1NiIgd2lkdGg9IjE2MDAiIGhlaWdodD0iNDU2IiBkYXRhLXU9Imh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGbm9tYWRpY25pa28uY29tJTJGd3AtY29udGVudCUyRnVwbG9hZHMlMkYyMDE4JTJGMTAlMkZJTUdfMjQzNS0xLmpwZWciIGRhdGEtdz0iMTYwMCIgZGF0YS1oPSI0NTYiIGRhdGEtYmlwPSIiPjwvc3ZnPg==)
Casa Botter Exhibition Hall
The ground floor of Casa Botter hosts temporary exhibitions. It’s open daily except Mondays from 10am to 7pm and admission is free (as of October 2024).
Museum of Illusions
Finally, across the street is the Museum of Illusions at Narmanlı Han. It’s an obvious a tourist trap but it can be a fun place to kill time and take some trick photos. Admission is 590₺ for adults, 490₺ for kids age 5-18, and free for kids under 5 (as of October 2024). It’s open daily.
There are a several optical illusions along the walls but the trick photo scenes are the real attractions. It’s best to go in a group of more than two, but friendly staff members are on hand to take photos if necessary.
