Istanbul Naval Museum

Istanbul Naval Museum

Although the history of the Naval Museum goes back to the late nineteenth century, the Istanbul Naval Museum in Beşiktaş was established in 1961. The museum is situated in Beşiktaş next to the public square commemorated to the famous Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa (Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa).

In 2008 the museum has undergone into a long restoration that lasted five years and it was re-opened in 2013 with a much larger three-story exhibition building covering an area of 20,000 square meters.

The huge collection of the Istanbul Naval Museum consists of, hundreds of years old Ottoman wooden rowboats, caiques, ship models, figureheads, paintings, wood carvings, seals, and other maritime-related objects.

Amazing facts about the Istanbul Naval Museum

• Thousands of years old Byzantine chain that used to block the entrance of the enemy ships into the Golden Horn is also being exhibited in the museum.

• Most of the objects in the collection of the museum -especially Ottoman imperial caiques- underwent special conservation and restoration in the last ten years.

• It is one of the newest and modern museums in Istanbul and connected to the Turkish Republic Navy Command.

How to get to the Istanbul Naval Museum

Situated in Beşiktaş, the easiest way to get to the Istanbul Naval Museum is to take a boat from Kadıköy, Eminönü, or Üsküdar and get off at Beşiktaş. The museum is next to the Beşiktaş pier.

What else is nearby?

Situated in Beşiktaş, between the neighborhoods of Kabataş and Ortaköy, there are important sights in the area including Sinan Paşa Mosque, Ortaköy neighborhood, Ortaköy Mosque, and Dolmabahçe Palace Museum as well as the famous luxury hotel chain Shangri-La Bosphorus.

Visitor information about the Istanbul Naval Museum (Deniz Müzesi)

The museum is open Tuesday-Sunday from 9:00 am - 6:00 pm and the entrance cost is 60 TL.