İSTANBUL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUMS

The exhibition of the selected artifacts from the closed sections 13-20 can be visited in New Building Assos Hall.

On 25th February 2012, which is the 102nd Anniversary of the Death of Osman Hamdi Bey, the directorate and the kurators of İstanbul Archaeological Museums visited the grave and the house of Osman Hamdi Bey in Eskihisar. The trip is realized by the support of TÜRSAB (The Association of Turkish Travel Agencies), The Municipality of İzmit and the Director of İzmit Museum, İlksen Özbay.

120th Foundation Day of The İstanbul Archaeological Museums was celebrated with İdil Biret Recital on 8th February 2012 in Ortaköy Feriye Restaurant by the efforts of Arkeoloji Müzelerini Sevenler Derneği.

The three dimentional film of the artifacts in closed sections 13-20 can bee seen in three dimentions in the entrance if the Classical Building.

The 3D glasses can be provided from the information desk.

Closed Sections Due To Earthquake Strengthening And Restoration

Classical Building Sections 13-20 are closed until 1st September 2012 due to "Earthquake Strenghtening and Restoration Work" sponsored by TURSAB (Association of Turkish Travel Agencies).

İstanbul Archaeological Museums web site was selected third at the Public Institution category.

TUREB ( Federation of Turkish Tourist Guide Associations) Awards were given on 21st February 2011 in five categories as "Promotion", "Sustainabilty", "Authenticity", "Hospitality" and "Education of Tourism". TUREB Hospitality Award was given to Istanbul Archaeological Museums.

Istanbul Archaeological Museums entered a top-ten list of non-art museums compiled by VirtualTourist.com.

The website published the list to help its members. The site said: "The editors of travel website VirtualTourist.com (www.virtualtourist.com) have compiled a list of the top 10 best non-art museums."

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the National Air & Space Museum, in Washington, D.C., the Lower East Side Tenement Museum in New York City, the Musical Instrument Museum in Brussels, VasaMuseet in Stockholm, Sweden, the Museo Nacional de Antropolog­a in Mexico City, the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam, the British Museum in London, and the Tokyo National Museum join the Archaeology Museums on the list. The site said of the Archaeology Museums: "Few areas have been controlled or inhabited by as many different cultures as the region of modern-day Turkey. Therefore, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums serve an important role: Not only do the museums offer a broad sample of the country's archaeological treasures, but they also manage to cover the intertwining cultures that share a role in the nation's history." "One of the museums' three buildings, the Tiled Kiosk Museum… houses antique Ottoman and Anatolian tiles, along with other Islamic objects.

VirtualTourist.com members noted that the museums are conveniently located in the Sultanahmet area of the city, and are very well-organized. They also noted that the museums and the shaded parks around them provided a nice change of pace from the crowds at nearby Topkapı Palace ," the site's review continues.