5 Art Museums You Must See in Istanbul

While the significant art museums in Istanbul, where you take the pulse of art, host colourful exhibition programs throughout the year, they are frequented by art lovers for their permanent collections. We have compiled five art museums you must see in Istanbul.

Pera Museum

The Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation founded Pera Museum to provide a large-scale cultural and artistic service. Over the years, the museum has brought together the works of master artists such as Joan Miró, Akira Kurosawa, Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Fernando Botero, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Goya with the art lovers of our country and supported all its exhibitions with different activities and educational programs. Educational and entertaining training programmes are organized to bring children and young people together with art and raise awareness of museums.

Sakıp Sabancı Museum

Sakıp Sabancı Museum is one of the prominent and enjoyed museums with its rich collection, comprehensive international temporary exhibitions, and educational programs for children, youth and adults. The history of the Museum’s Book Arts and Calligraphy Collection dates back to the 1970s. Excites art lovers with its contemporary art exhibitions, the museum is a must-see…

Borusan Contemporary

Borusan Contemporary Perili Köşk Istanbul (Haunted Mansion İstanbul) was established to bring the Borusan Contemporary Arts Collection to wider audiences and to increase the interest in contemporary arts in Turkey. With its “office museum” structure, Borusan Contemporary aims to be a pioneer in the field of media art in our country, both with its physical environment and its visitor experience. Exclusive examples of the Borusan Contemporary Art Collection, which have been displayed on the office floors of Perili Köşk for a long time, are open to all art lovers on weekends. In the building where the Holding continues to function as an office during the week, there are personal and group exhibitions shaped by influential curators from Turkey and different parts of the world, as well as selections from the collection on weekends.

Istanbul Museum of Modern Art

Besides the stimulating, intriguing and thought-provoking exhibitions, Istanbul Modern also organizes many training and workshops. The following words of Oya Eczacıbaşı, Chairman of the Board of Directors, on the website of Istanbul Modern, describe the museum’s stance very well: A versatile communication platform has emerged, which is understandable and attractive, and shared by society, from an audience that has never visited a museum before, to a modern art expert, from kindergarten children to university members. As a result, we believe that we have created a rich place for every member of a family that can appeal to various tastes, cultures and interests.”

Elgiz Museum

Established in 2001 by collectors Sevda and Can Elgiz, Elgiz Museum is a new museum with the mission of promoting the development of contemporary art. Elgiz Museum hosts the projects of many young artists and curators and organizes training and social programs. Can Elgiz defines contemporary art as follows: “Contemporary art is an expression of a society’s cultural heritage from its past and its bright face looking forward.”