Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts – A Special Museum in Istanbul
The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, where works collected from many Islamic countries are exhibited, is located in the Ibrahim Pasha Palace in Sultanahmet Square. In addition to the works it contains, the museum is also worth seeing for the view of Sultanahmet Square, which can be viewed from the viewing terrace.
Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
Some of the works in the Turkish and Islamic art museum are a collection of 800-year-old carpets. On the ground floor, there are ethnographic works reflecting the characteristics of nomadic life. There are many historical artifacts related to the Seljuks and Ottomans, the ancestors of the Turks, in the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts. In addition, many manuscripts and objects from the Caliphate period are also in the collection of the museum.
In the museum, there are hundreds of different types of artifacts used by Turks both in their nomadic lifestyle and in settled life for many years. There are many examples in the museum, from metal works to textile samples such as tents and dresses, from war weapons to art carpet weaving.
About the Museum
It is the first Turkish museum that covers Turkish and Islamic art works collectively. One of the most important structures of Mimar Sinan, the soup kitchen building located in the Süleymaniye Mosque complex, was opened to visitors in 1914 as the “Evkaf-ı Islamiye Museum” (Islamic Foundations Museum).
After the proclamation of the Republic, it was named “Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts”. It was moved to İbrahim Pasha Palace in 1983. He received the special jury award of the Council of Europe museum of the year competition in 1984, and the award given by the Council of Europe- UNESCO in 1985 for his work on endearing cultural heritage to children.
It is among the world’s leading museums in its field and has outstanding works from almost every period and every genre of Islamic art with its collection exceeding 40,000 works.
