Istanbul Archaeological Museums renewed after extensive restoration

An extensive restoration and renovation project has revitalized the historic buildings and visitor areas of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, Türkiye’s culture and tourism minister said.

The work covered the complex’s main neoclassical building, the Museum of the Ancient Orient, the Tiled Kiosk, the courtyard and nearby Gulhane Square, according to the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

Türkiye’s Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the project's main objective was to preserve the buildings’ original architectural character while introducing contemporary museum practices.

Restoration of the main museum building began in 2011 and was conducted in stages. Following structural reinforcement, conservation and exhibition work, the building reopened to visitors in 2021.

The latest phase, launched in January 2023, focused on the Museum of the Ancient Orient and the Tiled Kiosk.

At the Museum of the Ancient Orient, teams reinforced the building's concrete and vaulted ceilings and masonry walls, renewed the roof and conserved decorative elements and sculptures on the facade.

The museum's Assyrian, Sumerian, Sumerian-Akkadian, Arabian, Babylonian, Hittite, Urartian and Egyptian galleries were reorganized with updated exhibition and lighting systems. The museum reopened on July 6.

Conservation work at the Tiled Kiosk included removing later roof additions and replacing old lead coverings with materials compatible with the original structure.

Teams also cataloged approximately 54,000 tiles on the building’s exterior and prepared a separate conservation plan for each one. The tiles underwent cleaning, strengthening, repairs and color restoration.

Displays in the kiosk’s Iznik, Kutahya, Canakkale, Early Ottoman and Seljuk galleries were also updated.

The project extended beyond the museum buildings. The complex’s main entrance was moved to Gulhane Square, where a new visitor reception center was established.

A total of 38 archaeological artifacts are now displayed along Osman Hamdi Bey Slope, which connects the square to the museum, while approximately 140 artifacts have been placed outdoors in the redesigned courtyard.

“We regard this not simply as a museum complex where artifacts are exhibited, but as a living cultural space where visitors can engage with history, art, architecture and culture,” Ersoy said.