Archaeological Museums (Arkeoloji Muzeleri)

Crammed with artworks and artifacts from over the millennia, Istanbul’s Archaeology Museum is housed in a complex of three buildings in gardens formerly belonging to Topkapi Palace.
Opened in 1891, the museum features archaeology in the main building, a grand classical affair with columns and pediments. The art of the ancient orient is housed in a separate building, and the historic Tiled Kiosk, commissioned by Sultan Mehmet II in 1472, houses a museum of Islamic art.
The Greek and Roman statues are the highlights of this massive and important collection, including the ornately carved Alexander Sarcophagus. Also seek out the peace treaty dating from 1258 BC, a Lycian tomb, cuneiform documents, and busts of Alexander the Great and Zeus.

Practical Info

The Archaeology Museum is in Gulhane Park, near Topkapi in Istanbul’s Eminönü district.