Istanbul Museum Pass in Istanbul

If you find yourself planning a trip to Istanbul, there’s no better way to explore the city’s unique attractions than with the Istanbul Museum Pass.

This card provides access to some of the most engaging museums across the city while giving you the freedom and flexibility to plan your own itinerary.

Best of all, you can save time by skipping lines at popular attractions, which is invaluable in a bustling metropolis like Istanbul.

Here is everything you need to know about Istanbul Museum Pass, your gateway to many sightseeing tours in Istanbul.

What’s the Istanbul Museum Pass and what’s included?

The Istanbul Museum Pass enables visitors of the city to discover several of its most remarkable museums and save money while doing so.

You’ll gain access to 12 of the most historic and fascinating sites in the city, and can visit them whenever it suits you during the validity period of the pass.

Topkapi Palace

One of the most celebrated landmarks that the pass includes is the Topkapi Palace, which was built in the 15th century and housed the sultans of the Ottoman Empire.

Today, you can roam its elegant halls, rest under its intricate pavilions and learn about the ruler who ordered the construction of the palace — Mehmet the Conqueror.

You’ll also gain access to Topkapi Palace’s harem, where the many wives of each sultan resided.

The Istanbul Archaeological Museum is another attraction supported by the Istanbul Museum Pass and houses almost a million artifacts from the city’s colorful past.

These date back to various time periods, including the rule of Mehmet the Conqueror in the 15th century.

Galata Tower Museum

Alternatively, you can head to the Galata Tower Museum in Galata District, originally used as a fire watch tower. The monument was built over 1,500 years ago and is perfectly preserved.

If you’re interested in the arts, pay a visit to the Great Palace Mosaic Museum, which showcases the grandest mosaic from the Byzantine period.

This original artwork is formed of over 40,000 pieces and mostly depicts animals participating in various activities.

If it's mosaics you're captivated by, you should also visit the Fethiye Museum, which features religious mosaics, also from the Byzantine period.

The church that the museum is housed in also served as the seat of the Greek Orthodox patriarch for over 100 years.

Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum

The third museum for art lovers is the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, which was the last museum to open under the Ottoman Empire, and features the most complete collection of Islamic artworks in the world.

Another attraction that holders of the Istanbul Museum Pass can enjoy is the Istanbul Museum of the History of Science and Technology.

The museum celebrates the inventions, and discoveries of Islamic scientists between the 9th and 16th centuries. These inventions are split into 12 sections, including astronomy, medicine, architecture and physics.

Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum

Learn more about the poet Rumi who began the great movement of the Whirling Dervishes, at the Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum.

Dive into traditional Turkish music, watch a spell-binding show and learn more about the practices of the Sufis who called themselves Whirling Dervishes.

The Yıldız Palace Museum is also included in the Istanbul Museum Pass and displays the valuable possessions of Sultan Abdulhamid II.

The Rumeli Fortress is an open-air museum located along the Bosphorus Strait, originally built to manage the influx of passing ships on the stretch of water.

Since then, it has served as a prison, a customs checkpoint, a residential area and finally a museum. Today, you can see original cannons that were fired to sink ships that refused to pay tax, an amphitheater and the well-preserved fortress itself.

Hagia Irene Monument Museum

The final Istanbul Museum Pass attraction is the Hagia Irene Monument Museum. The Hagia Irene church where the museum is located was originally built in the 4th century but was reconstructed in the 6th century after the Nika Revolt.

How does the Istanbul Museum Pass work? How to use it?

The Istanbul Museum Pass is valid for 5 days from its first use and allows free one-time access to each museum. There is no need to book a slot at any of the museums before visiting — simply show up and skip the queue.

Upon arrival at the museum of your choice, you’ll flash your pass at the entrance in order to enter immediately.

This is one of the main benefits of the pass as it means you can spend less time waiting around and more time discovering Turkey's rich heritage.

Once you purchase an Istanbul Museum Pass online, you can have it delivered to your hotel within an hour for free using the fast and easy courier service available.

What's the price for an Istanbul Museum Pass?

The Istanbul Museum Pass price is TRY700 (US$38) per person and is valid for 5 days. This fee is charged to anyone aged 8 or over. Children under the age of 8 qualify for free entrance to each of the museums included in the pass.

However, you may consider purchasing your young children their own pass if time is your most valuable asset, as without it each child needs to obtain their free pass from the ticket office of every museum in order to enter.

With an Istanbul Museum Pass, you will avoid unnecessary queueing.

Is the Istanbul Museum Pass worth getting?

Many visitors to the city find the Istanbul Museum Pass to be excellent value for money. It’s a particularly great option if you plan to visit the Topkapi Palace — one of the most visited sites in the city, which costs TRY320 (US$17) per person.

Tickets to the harem cost an additional TRY100 (US$5), which is also included in the Istanbul Museum Pass.

However, you may wish to reconsider the pass if your interests lie outside of the Topkapi Palace.

This is because many of the other museums, such as the Great Palace Mosaic Museum and the Rumeli Fortress Museum, only cost between TRY20 (US$1,) and TRY50 (US$3) each.

Consider which of the Istanbul Museum Pass attractions you’d like to visit and their individual entrance fees before purchasing a pass.