Istanbul Museum of Modern Art

Istanbul Museum of Modern Art

Important Note: Istanbul Museum of Modern Art is temporarily closed. The museum is planned to be opened in the upcoming months of 2022 in their new space at Galataport. 

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Istanbul Museum of Modern Art was founded in 2004 as Turkey’s first museum of modern and contemporary art. Committed to sharing Turkey’s artistic creativity and cultural identity with the local and international art worlds, the museum hosts a broad array of interdisciplinary activities.

Istanbul Museum of Modern Art embraces a global vision to collect, preserve, display and document works of modern and contemporary art, photography, design, architecture, new media, and cinema. It acts as an intermediary in the sharing of Turkey’s cultural identity with the international art environment. It supports the artists in their productions and their efforts to form international partnerships. Aspiring to make art easily accessible by the masses, Istanbul Modern provides education programs to art followers of all ages.

Since its founding in 2004, Istanbul Modern has organized seven collection exhibitions that show the evolution and transformation of modern and contemporary art in Turkey as well as the international orientation of the museum's acquisitions. Through their chronological and thematic approaches, these exhibitions revealed both the changing dynamics of today’s art world and the conceptual similarities of contemporary approaches from different geographies. They also sought to display the common nature of art, which transcends borders, while bringing together both past and contemporary works.

Through its collections, exhibitions, and educational programs, the museum aims to instill a love of the arts in visitors from all walks of life and encourage their active participation in the arts. Established in a building occupying an 8,000 square meter site in Karaköy on the shores of the Bosphorus, where it hosted exhibitions and events for 14 years, Istanbul Modern has now moved to a temporary space in Beyoğlu, where it will welcome visitors from May 2018 onward for three years while its new building is being constructed. The museum offers a variety of cultural activities in its permanent and temporary exhibition halls, photography galleries, spaces for educational and social programs, library, cinema, café, and store.

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Permanent exhibition: In Pursuit of the Present

In its collection exhibition “In Pursuit of the Present”, Istanbul Modern focuses on human conditions in today’s world. The exhibition features works that explore the relationship between humans and cities, nature, and between their own selves and their physical environment in historical, social, and personal contexts. Moreover, the exhibition holds a mirror to how human emotions are influenced by the new visual and aural stimuli that have emerged in the world today.

Istanbul Museum of Modern Art in their new -temporary- space

Istanbul Modern, Turkey’s first museum of modern and contemporary art, has moved to its temporary space in Beyoğlu, where it hosts all exhibitions and events until its new building in Karaköy is completed. The museum's temporary space, a historical building in Beyoğlu, houses collection and temporary exhibition halls, photography gallery, educational and social programs, library, cinema, cafe, and store.

Library: Collection of 11500 books

Istanbul Museum of Modern Art Library provides resources on modern and contemporary art to visitors and researchers.

The library currently has a growing collection of 11,500 books in Turkish and foreign languages and subscriptions to 24 periodical titles. The library keeps its collection up-to-date by acquiring books and catalogs published by museums, art centers, and galleries in Turkey and abroad. Acquisitions are made via donation, exchange, and collaboration.

Istanbul Museum of Modern Art is part of the Google Cultural Institute, meaning you can browse some of the museum's many works before your visit. Click this link to read more about the Istanbul Modern Museum of Modern Art Project on Google Cultural Institute.

How to get to the museum?

You can take the M2 Haciosman-Yenikapi metro line and get off either at Taksim or Sishane stops. The museum is approximately 7-8 minutes' walk from both metro stations. If you're coming from Sultanahmet or Karaköy areas, take the tunnel funicular (Tünel Metrosu in Turkish) from Karaköy to Tünel direction. Once you arrive at Tünel Square, the museum is only 3-4 minutes walking distance. Please keep in mind that the permanent venue of the museum does not have a parking space. 

What is the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art opening times?

The museum is open Tuesday – Saturday from 10 am - 6 pm; whereas on Sundays it's open between 11 am -6 pm. The entrance costs 72 Turkish Lira for foreign visitors. Private tours can be arranged for additional costs. Please check museum official website for more accurate information on opening times.