In Istanbul, there are two kinds of Museum Pass that you can purchase for your Istanbul museum visits. One of them is claimed and offered by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the other one is offered by the approved trip specialists. These cards permit you to abstain from holding up in the ticket purchasing lines at every historical center and museum. Anyway, you are still obliged to sit tight for the security-check line, so you should invest some energy holding up in line (impressively shorter time). Keep reading to learn more about these cards!
Ministry’s Museum Pass Istanbul Mobile
Istanbul Museum Pass (2020 Price with Comparison of all the Museum Passes + Insider Advice)This Museum Pass offers access to 14 historical centers in Istanbul, that just have a place with the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which likewise implies State Museums.
Museums Included
- Topkapi Palace Museum
- Topkapi Palace Museum Harem Apartments
- Hagia Sophia Museum
- Hagia Irene Museum
- Museum of Turkish & Islamic Arts
- Istanbul Archaeology Museums
- Chora Museum
- Great Palace Mosaics Museum
- Museum of History of Science and Technology in Islam
- Turbes (Tombs) Museum (117 tombs situated in several districts)
- Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum
- Rumeli Fortress Museum
- Fethiye Museum
- Adam Mickiewicz Museum
Pricing & Validity
Valid for 5 days starting from your first visit. The price is 295 TL. (about € 45)
How to Buy?
You can purchase this exhibition hall pass online from the official Museum Pass Istanbul Mobile site. On the other hand, you can straightforwardly purchase the Istanbul Museum Pass at the 9 purposes of offers in Istanbul (with your ID card), at the ticket windows in:
Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Topkapi Palace Harem, Istanbul Archeology Museums, Hagia Irene, Mosaics Museum, Chora Museum, Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts and Rumeli Fortress Museum
Significant Notice: You’ll see or peruse somewhere else another Museum Pass named Müzekart+, which offers access to boundless visits to more than 300 historical centers and archeological locales in Turkey, legitimate for 1 year and with a cost of 70 TL. Note that this gallery card is just for Turkish residents and outside inhabitants in Turkey having “ID Number”.
Alternative Istanbul Museum Passes
These kinds of Museum Passes are offered bu approved venders. They resemble comparative ones of the above Museum Pass Mobile offered by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism. They contrast with the number of exhibition halls included and the cost. We suggest the beneath ones as you will spare a great deal.
Istanbul Museum Pass
Istanbul Museum Pass (2020 Price with Comparison of all the Museum Passes + Insider Advice)Istanbul Museum Pass is offered by Istanbul Welcome Card. It offers 11 Museums, while Ministry’s Museum Pass offers 14 Museums. However, this one is €10 less expensive than the Ministry’s Museum Pass. We prescribe this as it covers the most mainstream exhibition halls and offers an incredible incentive for cash.
Museums Included
- Topkapi Palace Museum
- Topkapi Palace Museum Harem Apartments
- Hagia Sophia Museum
- Hagia Irene Museum
- Museum of Turkish & Islamic Arts
- Istanbul Archaeology Museum
- Chora Museum
- Great Palace Mosaics Museum
- Museum of History of Science and Technology in Islam
- Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum
- Rumeli Fortress Museum
Museums NOT Included
Fethiye Museum, Adam Mickiewicz Museum, Turbes (Tombs) Museum
Advantages of the Istanbul Museum Pass
- Save 45% at Museums.
- Fast track access to Museums.
- No waiting in the lines.
- Valid for 5 days starting from your first visit.
How It Works
After your request, you will get an affirmation with the get point pictured at the Hagia Sophia. You can get your Pass without holding up in line day by day, between 09:00 – 15:00 at the Hagia Sophia. You’ll simply need to demonstrate the affirmation to your Istanbul Welcome Card guides hanging tight for you at the Hagia Sophia entrance.
Price: $35
Guided Museum Passes Istanbul
These sorts of Passes are offered bu approved dealers and a decent alternative for the ones who need to see the most visited Museums in Istanbul with a guide. Run of the mill passes incorporate the 5-12 most visited historical centers in addition to 3-5 of them with control.
Istanbul Museum Pass Plus
Istanbul Museum Pass (2020 Price with Comparison of all the Museum Passes + Insider Advice)Istanbul Museum Pass PLUS is offered by Istanbul Welcome Card. It offers 11 Museums + Audio Guide Apps for Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and Harem + 30-Min. Highlights Tour inside Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and Archeological Museum.
Ministry’s Museum Pass offers 14 Museums yet has no guided visits and sound guide applications; however, Istanbul Museum Pass PLUS is about a similar cost with Ministry’s Museum Pass and we suggest this as it offers an incredible incentive for cash.
Museums Included
- Topkapi Palace Museum
- Topkapi Palace Museum Harem Apartments
- Hagia Sophia Museum
- Hagia Irene Museum
- Museum of Turkish & Islamic Arts
- Istanbul Archaeology Museums
- Chora Museum
- Great Palace Mosaics Museum
- Museum of History of Science and Technology in Islam
- Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum
- Rumeli Fortress Museum
Museums NOT Included
Fethiye Museum, Adam Mickiewicz Museum, Turbes (Tombs) Museum
Advantages of the Istanbul Museum Pass Plus
- Fast track access to Museums.
- No waiting in the lines.
- Audio Guide Apps for: Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and Harem.
- 30-Min. Highlights Tour inside Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and Archaeological Museum.
- Valid for 5 days starting from your first visit.
How It Works
After your order, you will receive a confirmation with the pickup point pictured at the Hagia Sophia. You can pick up your Pass without waiting in line daily, between 09:00 – 15:00 at the Hagia Sophia. You’ll just need to show the confirmation to your Istanbul Welcome Card guides waiting for you at the Hagia Sophia entrance.
Meeting Times and Days for The 30-Highlights Tours:
Hagia Sophia, except Mondays at: 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00
Topkapi Palace, except Tuesdays at: 09:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30
Archaeology Museum, except Mondays and Tuesdays at 09:15
Price: $47
Istanbul Welcome Card Deluxe
This is a travel discount card that is conveyed to your lodging for FREE upon your buy on the web and will be prepared to use at your appearance. You can likewise get it from its sub both two Istanbul Airports. Istanbul Welcome Card Deluxe accompanies Skip-the-Line Pass for 12 Museums, 3 Tours by Historian Guide, 20 Rides with IstanbulKart (Public Transport), Bosphorus Cruise, Digital Guide Book and Map.
Museums Included
Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Harem, Chora Museum, Fethiye (Pammakristos) Museum, Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum, Great Palace Mosaics Museum, Hagia Irene, Istanbul Archaeological Museums, Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, Rumeli Fortress, Science and Technology in Islam, and Bonus Basilica Cistern
Guides Included
You’ll have guided tour for Hagia Sophia, the Topkapi Palace, Harem and the Basilica Cistern with one of the few Historian Guides in Istanbul.
Daily available times (except Mondays and Tuesdays):
* Hagia Sophia at 10:00 – Tour duration: 60 minutes
* Basilica Cistern at 11:30 – Tour duration: 20 minutes
* Topkapi Palace and Harem at 12:30 – Tour duration: 90 minutes
Valid for 7 days starting from your first visit.
Price: €79
Comparison of the Museum Passes
We can see that you may get befuddled about which historical center pass you should purchase. Let us direct you through this and share the best offers with you.
We used to suggest the Ministry’s Museum Pass (14 State Museums), yet since the cost has ascended about 3x over the most recent two years and about 35% in January 2020, and now it costs 295 TL (about €45), we discover it NOT ECONOMIC.
The Istanbul Museum Pass, offered by Istanbul Welcome Card is about €10 CHEAPER than the Ministry’s Museum Pass. It incorporates 11 exhibition halls while Ministry’s has 14 galleries. However, the non-included ones are not so should see historical centers. So we prescribe this one.
The Istanbul Museum Pass PLUS, offered by Istanbul Welcome Card has about a similar cost with the Ministry’s Museum Pass. It incorporates 11 galleries while Ministry’s has 14 exhibition halls, however, it has pluses like Audio Guide Apps for Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and Harem, 30 mins Highlights Tour inside Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and Istanbul Archeology Museums. On the off chance that you need to visit the top exhibition halls with a guide than we certainly prescribe this one which will be an incredible incentive for cash.
Review for Other Passes & Guided Museum Tours
The Istanbul Welcome Card Deluxe (€ 79) that we notice above has 11 historical centers in addition to reward Basilica Cistern, and with skip-the-line get to guided visits to Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Harem and Basilica Cistern. This is an Istanbul touring pass and on the off chance that you intend to purchase this then you won’t have to purchase a separate gallery pass. This is a superior arrangement for you.
We can say that, greater part of the travelers visit just Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Harem and Basilica Cistern during their stay in Istanbul. Since they likewise take other shore outings, attractions and neighborhood visit inside a restricted time of remain.
Also, guided visits are generally favored by the sightseers as they need to get familiar with the historical backdrop of the spot they visit from an expert guide, particularly when we talk about Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and Basilica Cistern. Skip-the-line-get to is likewise an incredible decision since you’ll see a long line at Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace Museums in pretty much every season and lines are constantly a mass.
The majority of the sightseers take some other must-do attractions during their Istanbul visit, similar to every one of us does when we visit a traveler. It very well may be travels, explicit shows, amusement parks, and some other city touring visits. What’s more, IWC offers the two attractions in addition to exhibition halls.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Istanbul Museum Pass, and Should I Get One?
Is the Museum Pass Istanbul something you ought to apply for? We get this inquiry a great deal from individuals wanting to visit the Turkish metropolitan. Sadly, there is no clear response to this inquiry.
Everything relies upon what you intend to visit as well as whether you mind representing (quite a while) in a line or not. So let me clarify what the Istanbul Museum Pass is, the thing that you can (not) do with it, regardless of whether it’s ideal for you, and how you can get one.
What Is the Istanbul Museum Pass?
The Museum Pass is a one-time installment card that gives you access to verifiable exhibition halls and social focal points in Istanbul. There are two sorts (see underneath). Both are substantial for a specific measure of days, beginning from the minute you first use it (not the minute you got it).
Is the MüzeKart the Same as the Museum Pass?
No. The Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry presented the MüzeKart in 2008. It was and still is, a gigantic accomplishment among Turkish residents. It additionally drew the consideration of visitors, yet they were not permitted to get one. This clamor brought about the production of a different card, the Museum Pass Istanbul.
The MüzeKart is substantial for 300+ exhibition halls across the nation. Just Turkish nationals and outsiders with a living arrangement grant can get it, albeit now there is additionally a variant for voyagers called Museum Pass Turkey. The Museum Pass Istanbul is for travelers visiting the metropolitan, subsequently giving access to a constrained measure of settings. Thus, as a visitor to Istanbul, the Museum Pass Istanbul is the unrivaled card you ought to apply for!
What Are the Advantages of the Museum Pass?
The most significant preferred position is convenience. You never again need to remain in line to purchase your tickets as well as line to get in. Likewise, on the off chance that you intend to visit the entirety of the previously mentioned sports, you go through less cash. If you don’t plan to visit all, you’ll most likely spend more, yet at the same time have the convenience.
