Did you know that the M\u00fcze Giri\u015fi is your gateway to Turkey’s first museum? It is also known as the Istanbul Archaeological Museums. This isn’t just one museum but a complex of three. They are the Archaeological Museum. Then there is the Museum of the Ancient Orient. Finally there is the Tiled Pavilion Museum.
Step through the M\u00fcze Giri\u015fi and prepare to be amazed. Over one million artifacts from diverse cultures await. The collections span from the Balkans to Africa. They stretch across Anatolia and Mesopotamia. They even reach the Arabian Peninsula and Afghanistan. All were gathered within the Ottoman Empire.
The M\u00fcze Giri\u015fi welcomes you to a place of historical significance. The act of collecting historical artifacts began with Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. The official start of museology came in 1869. It was the establishment of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums. It was first named the M\u00fcze-i Humayun or Imperial Museum.
Initially the museum pieces were housed in Hagia Irene Church. As the collection grew a new space became necessary. The Tiled Pavilion built in 1472 was converted into a museum. Today this pavilion remains part of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums. After being restored it opened to the public in 1880.
Enter through M\u00fcze Giri\u015fi and meet Osman Hamdi Bey. In 1881 he became the director. His appointment marked a new era for Turkish museology. He led excavations at Nemrud Mountain. He worked at Myrina Kyme and other Aeolian necropolises. He also excavated the Temple of Hecate in Lagina.
Osman Hamdi Bey’s efforts greatly enriched the museum. His work in Sidon between 1887 and 1888 was especially fruitful. He unearthed the Sidon King Necropolis. He returned to Istanbul with many sarcophagi including the Alexander Sarcophagus.
The classical building that you see beyond the M\u00fcze Giri\u015fi was designed by Alexander Vallaury. It was built opposite the Tiled Pavilion. It opened to visitors on June 13 1891. This date is celebrated as Turkish Museum Day. The museum displays an impressive collection of Turkish tiles and ceramics. The Tiled Pavilion is a prime example of Ottoman civil architecture.
As you explore you will find the Museum of the Ancient Orient. Osman Hamdi Bey built it in 1883. It was originally the Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi or Academy of Fine Arts. Alexander Vallaury also designed this building. In 1917 the academy moved. The building became part of the museum complex.
Look closely at the main Archaeological Museum building. The inscription on the pediment reads Asar-ı Atika Museum. This means Museum of Antiquities. The tughra above the inscription belongs to Sultan Abdulhamid II. He commissioned the building.
The Istanbul Archaeological Museums are open every day. They are closed on Mondays. They are open between 9 am and 5 pm. There is an entrance fee. However entry is free if you have a museum pass. Come and discover the treasures within. They offer a unique glimpse into the past.