#1,023 of 1,752 things to do in Istanbul

Speciality Museums

9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Monday

9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Tuesday

9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Wednesday

9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Thursday

9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Friday

9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

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What people are saying

“Star Palace Museum Is closed”

Nov 2019

The Museum is closed for the foreseeble future because the President of Turkey has taken over the Palace for other purposes. However,the park is still open until 10 PM. It is one of Istanbul's largest parks with lovely rose and dahlia gardens, along with good views over the Bosphorous from several places. There are two restaurants too.

“Very disappointed”

Jun 2019

I read many bad reviews before I went as the plane is closed for refurbishment but I thought I will have a better luck. I tried to be cleaver and checked with the hotel reception who checked online and told me it’s opened as usual so we took 2 taxis there and they dropped us in front of the gate but there were some guards there who we couldn't communicate with but didn’t let us go in and made us delete the photos we took of the palace from the outside. I don’t know what I’d going on in that area but they need to have someone who can speak English and explain to the tourist what is going on.

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The area

Neighborhood: Besiktas

In Besiktas, skyscrapers compete with palaces for space in an upscale vista replete with hilly green parkland filling in the margins. Step into this rather wealthy neighborhood and discover a rich mix of opportunities to shop, dine, and be entertained. For folks in search of urban buzz, not to mention a constant reminder of just how important Istanbul’s waterways are to its rich history, there's the frenetic Besiktas ferry terminal or the city’s most vibrant fish market to explore. For a timeout of metropolitan proportions, head to the bucolic Yildiz Park or the chic Bosphorus-side fishing village of Ortakoy. Attractions such as the grandiose Dolmabahce Palace and a bevy of other stately residences await admiration. To be sure, this large and not overly touristy swath of Istanbul yields plenty of pleasure for all.

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Sultanahmet District

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

3.0

59 reviews

Excellent

11

Very good

13

Average

16

Poor

9

Terrible

10

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.

This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

Raffaele B

Conegliano, Italy21 contributions

Reopened after 7 years of restoration

Aug 2024 • Solo

It is a beautiful complex from the late nineteenth century. In the park there is a very nice pond with boats, wooden bridges, swans and flowers.
Admission is free for some time to celebrate the reopening, but not all buildings and rooms are accessible. If you have already seen the main attractions of Istanbul, then you can also add this visit.

Automatically translated

Written August 12, 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Myles D

2 contributions

Star Palace Museum Is closed

Nov 2019

The Museum is closed for the foreseeble future because the President of Turkey has taken over the Palace for other purposes. However,the park is still open until 10 PM. It is one of Istanbul's largest parks with lovely rose and dahlia gardens, along with good views over the Bosphorous from several places. There are two restaurants too.

Written November 2, 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

aphroditehalo

Aberdeen, NJ57 contributions

Do not go unless you have transport. Otherwise its a waste of time

Nov 2013 • Couples

The only reason that we visited this museum was that the admission was included in the Istanbul museum card. Big mistake. After getting off at the nearest tram stop, it took us a 45 minute walk (including a very tiring 20 minute uphill) to reach this tiny palace. There was a larger and more impressive building next door that was closed for renovation so I'm not sure whether that was a part of the palace. The part that was open consisted of some artifacts and just a couple of rooms in the palace. We were the only people there...probably because this is so far from everything and not a popular attraction. After the visit, we had to walk another 45 minute back to the tram station to go back to Sultanahmet. it was honestly a waste of time and I'd rather have gone elsewhere. When we went back to the hotel and told the staff that we went to Yildiz, they hadn't even heard of it...wonder why!

Written November 25, 2013

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KASSNIGHT

London, UK21 contributions

Very disappointed

Jun 2019 • Family

I read many bad reviews before I went as the plane is closed for refurbishment but I thought I will have a better luck.
I tried to be cleaver and checked with the hotel reception who checked online and told me it’s opened as usual so we took 2 taxis there and they dropped us in front of the gate but there were some guards there who we couldn't communicate with but didn’t let us go in and made us delete the photos we took of the palace from the outside.
I don’t know what I’d going on in that area but they need to have someone who can speak English and explain to the tourist what is going on.

Written July 9, 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

48in48europe

Krakow, Poland7 contributions

CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC DO NOT GO

Sep 2018

The Palace is unfortunately closed to the public as the president now uses it for himself. This happened in 2015 but many websites are outdated and do not mention this. It is no longer included on the Istanbul Museum Pass. Do not go here, you will be yelled at by armed guards. It is no longer a museum.

Written January 16, 2019

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Inspire03782459578

1 contribution

Closed

Nov 2018 • Solo

Went the whole way from Dolmabahçe only to find the palace closed for renovation. Google search doesn’t indicate anywhere whether Yildiz Palace is closed or open. Istanbul Museum Pass doesn’t worth its price, a lot of museums are either partly closed or entirely closed. A great waste of time and money

Written November 8, 2018

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

shazaryou

Dubai, United Arab Emirates67 contributions

They lived so fancy

Dec 2015

It was so nice to finally visit Yildis Palace that i always heard about... actually it was not allowed to visit the palace itself ...you can visit only the museum. but it was weird that it is not allowed to take photos in the yards or anywhere next to the palace area!!!

Written December 8, 2015

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ali M

Baghdad, Iraq15 contributions

Not worthy

Oct 2015 • Solo

At first there is a difference between yildiz shale museum which is a great place and a must see if you go to yildiz park and the yildiz palace museum which is actually a separated partition of yildiz shale and its entry is directly from the main street not from the park.
It has a small collection of beautiful furniture and it's not worthy to take the trouble to go to.

Written December 1, 2015

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michaela C

3 contributions

Still closed

Dec 2018 • Couples

Today, we went all the way up to the palace only to find that it is closed for renovation. We have the Museum Pass valid for this palace and nobody warned us when we bought it. Also, be warned that many places are currently under reconstruction so you will not be able to see everything, e.g. Archeology Museum, Topkapi Palace and many places have different opening times than on the internet...

Written December 23, 2018

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LoveTravel824621

1 contribution

Closed for renovation for months

Oct 2018 • Solo

I spent lot of time and money to visit it and it was closed though Google said it is open. It will be closed for months to come is what military men told me.

Written October 13, 2018

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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