Art and Culture in Istanbul: Museums, Galleries and Performances Worth Your Time
For art, start with Istanbul Modern in Karaköy and the Pera Museum in Beyoğlu, see the Byzantine mosaics of Chora (Kariye), and visit the Sakıp Sabancı Museum on the Bosphorus. For live culture, watch a sema (whirling dervish) ceremony at the Galata Mevlevi Lodge or catch a performance at the Atatürk Cultural Center in Taksim.
Modern and contemporary art
- Istanbul Modern (Karaköy): Türkiye's leading modern art museum, in a waterfront building by Renzo Piano opened in 2023 next to Galataport.
- SALT Galata: exhibitions and a research library in a 19th-century bank building in Karaköy.
- Arter (Dolapdere): a large contemporary art space with changing exhibitions.
- Istanbul Biennial: one of the region's major contemporary art events, held in venues across the city.
Classic collections
- Pera Museum (Beyoğlu): Orientalist paintings, including Osman Hamdi Bey's “The Tortoise Trainer”, Anatolian weights and measures and Kütahya tiles.
- Sakıp Sabancı Museum (Emirgan): calligraphy, paintings and major visiting exhibitions in a mansion on the Bosphorus.
- Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts (Sultanahmet): carpets, manuscripts and woodwork in the Palace of İbrahim Pasha.
- Rahmi M. Koç Museum (Hasköy): transport, industry and science, a favourite with families.
Byzantine art
The Chora (Kariye) Mosque near the old city walls holds some of the finest Byzantine mosaics and frescoes in the world, from the early 14th century. It reopened as a mosque in 2024; the mosaics can be seen with a visitor ticket outside prayer times.
Live culture
- Whirling dervishes: the Galata Mevlevi Lodge (Galata Mevlevihanesi) holds sema ceremonies on set days. It is a religious ceremony, so applause and flash photography are not appropriate.
- Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM), Taksim: opera, ballet and concerts in a building reopened in 2021.
- Turkish hamam: historic baths such as Çemberlitaş or the restored Zeyrek Çinili and Kılıç Ali Paşa hamams are as much architecture as bathing.
Plan it
Many museums close one day a week (often Monday), so check before you go. Galleries in Karaköy and Beyoğlu are a short walk from each other; the Bosphorus museums are easier by car. Ask us about a private car and driver for a museum day.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Istanbul Modern?
In Karaköy, on the waterfront next to the Galataport cruise terminal, in a building by Renzo Piano opened in 2023.
Where can I see the whirling dervishes in Istanbul?
At the Galata Mevlevi Lodge in Beyoğlu, which holds sema ceremonies on set days. Check the schedule before you go.
Can I visit Chora (Kariye)?
Yes. It reopened as a mosque in 2024 and visitors can see the mosaics with a ticket outside prayer times.