2009-2010 Operating Days and Hours of Museums in Istanbul

( Click here for )september 2010 Ramadan Bayram IStanbul Museums open closed, hours ( operating times ) info

summer  2009 – winter 2010 Operating hours and days of Istanbul’s tourist attractions

(note ; holiday info below is a guideline, at each holiday the hours may vary slightly )
* Archaeological Museums (Arkeoloji Müzeleri)
Open: daily from 09.00 – 17.00, no entrance after 16.00

( summer time open until 19.00 last entrance by 18.00  , winter is as above from mid october on  )          Closed: Monday, and until 12.00 on the first day of religious holidays

* Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı)
Open: daily from 09.00 – 17.30
Closed: until 13.00 on the first day of religious holidays

* Big Palace Mosaic Museum (Büyük Saray Çinileri Müzesi)
Open: daily from 09.00 – 16.30
Closed: Monday, and until 13.00 on the first day of religious holidays

* Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii)
Open: daily from 09.00 till dusk
Closed: 30 min before until 30 min after prayer time, 2 hours during Friday noon prayer
* Dolmabahçe Palace (Dolmabahçe Sarayı)
Open: daily from 09.00 – 16.00
Closed: Monday, Thursday, January 1st and the first days of religious holidays

* Egyptian or Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı)
Open: daily from 08.00 – 19.00
Closed: Sunday, October 29th and the full duration of religious holidays
* Fethiye Museum (Fethiye Müzesi)
Open: daily from 09.00 – 16.30
Closed: Wednesday, and until 13.00 on the first day of religious holidays
* Fortress of Europe (Rumeli Hisarı)
Open: daily from 09.00 – 16.30, no entrance after 16.00
Closed: Wednesday, and until 13.00 on the first day of religious holidays
* Fortress of Seven Towers (Yedikule Hisarı)
Open: daily from 08.00 – 16.00
Closed: no closing days
* Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi)
Open: daily from 09.00 – 20.00
Closed: no closing days  -  It functions as a nightclub from 20.00 on )

* Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı)
Open: daily from 08.30 – 19.00
Closed: Sunday, October 29th and the full duration of religious holidays

( They began opening it also on sundays in summer 2009 )

* Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya Müzesi)
Open: daily from 09.00 – 17.00
Closed: Monday, and until 13.00 on the first day of religious holidays
* Harem (Harem)
Open: daily from 09.30 – 17.00, lunch break from 12.00 – 12.30
Closed: Tuesday, and until 12.00 on the first day of religious holidays
* Imperial Porcelain Factory (Yıldız Porselen Fabrikası)
Open: daily from 09.00 – 12.00 and 13.00 – 17.00
Closed: Saturday, Sunday, and until 13.00 on the first day of religious holidays
* Kariye   Museum (  Chora Church -   Kariye Müzesi)
Open: daily from 09.00 – 16.30
Closed: Wednesday, and until 13.00 on the first day of religious holidays
* Malta Pavilion (Malta Köşkü)
Open: daily from 09.00 – 22.00
Closed: no closing days

Ottoman Military Band in the Military Museum

Daily at 3 p.m. Begins with a 10 minute video in English  offering great Ottoman period photos , paintings, footage and connections  of Beethoven ,Mozart  via Ala Turca .

3.30 p.m. second half of the concert begins – 10 min video in Turkish

Museum is closed on monday and tuesday

* Süleymaniye Mosque (Süleymaniye Camii)
Open: daily from 09.00 – 17.30
Closed: during prayer time
Note: due to restoration, till 2010 only a small part of the mosque is open

The tomb of Suleyman the Magnificent and his wife Hurrem’s ( Roxalena )  tomb  can also be seen.
* Şale Pavilion (Şale Köşkü)
Open: daily from 10.00 – 16.00
Closed: Monday and Thursday
* Topkapi Palace (Topkapı Sarayı)
Open: daily from 09.00 – 17.00  ( summer time 09 – 19.00  last entrance by 17.30 or 18.00 until mid october  )
Closed: Tuesday, and until 12.00 on the first day of religious holidays
* Turkish & Islamic Art Museum (Türk İslam Eserleri Müzesi) is across Blue Mosque.
Open: daily from 09.30 – 16.30
Closed: Monday, and until 13.00 on the first day of religious holidays
* Tünel (Tünel) the century old funicular , your easy access to Istiklal street across Spice market, cross Galata bridge, at karakoy
Open: daily from 07.00 – 21.00
Closed: no closing days
* Yıldız Palace (Yıldız Sarayı)
Open: daily from 09.30 – 16.30
Closed: Tuesday, and until 13.00 on the first day of religious holidays
* Yıldız Park (Yıldız Korusu)
Open: day and night
Closed: no closing days

Typical Museum open – closed information for Istanbul on Bayrams – feasts, public holidays :

Places that get closed on   Islamic feast celebration days ( we call it bayram  ) mainly in Istanbul

Topkapi Sarayi Muzesi: (Tel: 0212 512 04 80): on  the first   day of Bayram it is        closed until 13:00
closed on second day 2. gun , open the following days.

Ayasofya Muzesi  Hagia Sophia : (Tel: 0212 522 09 89)on  the first   day of Bayram it is   closed ;
open the following days

Kariye Muzesi  Chora : (Tel: 0212 631 92 41): on the first   day of Bayram it is   closed until 13:00,  the other days exccept wednesday open betwen 09:00-16:30

Dolmabahce Sarayi: (Tel: 0212 236 90 00):

on the first   day of Bayram it is   closed .

Istanbul Arkeoloji Muzeleri: (Tel: 0212 520 77 40): Closed on mondays. on the first   day of Bayram it is   closed .
Basilica Cistern  (Tel: 0212 512 15 70):  on the first   day of Bayram it is   closed  until 13:00   diger gunler 09:00-17:30 saatleri arasinda acik.

Museum open – closed information for other major sites   in Turkey :

Ephesus ( Selcuk )  archaelogical  Museum :   (Tel: 0232 892 60 10): on the first   day of Bayram it is   closed untill 13:00

Efes Ancient site   (Tel: 0232 892 60 10): Open also on bayrams, public holidays.
Ankara Anadolu Medeniyetleri Muzesi: (Tel: 0312 324 31 60): the first   day of Bayram it is   closed  until  12:00

Antalya Muzesi: (Tel: 0242 238 56 88): on the first   day of Bayram it is   closed  until 13:00

Goreme Acikhava Muzesi: (Tel: 0384 271 21 67): on the first   day of Bayram it is   closed  until 13:00

Enjoy your visit! – Oguz (*)

my visual Istanbul Guide pages :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23822697@N02/sets/

(*)Oguz Kosebalaban is an official professional  tour guide offering personal tours of Istanbul and rest of Turkey alike.