Museums

Istanbul Modern

Founded in 2004 by the IKSV, Istanbul Modern was the first private museum to organize modern and contemporary art exhibitions in Turkey and it occupies a large site on the shores of the Bosporus, encompassing 8,000 square meters. The Museum offers a wide array of services in a multifaceted venue, including permanent and temporary exhibition galleries, photography gallery, library, cinema center, café and a design store. In addition, the Museum also offers video, educational and social programs.

Santral Istanbul

The Silahtarağa Power Plant, preserved and converted into Santral Istanbul, was the first urban-scale power plant of the Ottoman Empire. Founded in the Golden Horn district which is the oldest industrial zone in Istanbul, it provided electricity to the city from 1911 to 1983. The work to transform the Silahtarağa Power Plant, a national industrial heritage site similar to the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam, into Santral Istanbul was carried out with the contribution of public and private institutions and non-governmental organizations. One of the most comprehensive projects realized in the field of culture and art in Turkey to date, Santral İstanbul was opened with the exhibition “Modern and Beyond” in 2007. Santral Istanbul is located in the middle of Silahtarağa campus of Bilgi University.

Pera Museum

The Pera Museum, which opened its doors in 2005, is set up by the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation. The building was originally constructed in 1893 by the architect Achille Manoussos in Tepebaşı (in Beyoğlu) and was completely renovated to serve as a fully-equipped modern museum. In addition to its function as a private museum in which to display the collection of the family, the Pera Museum is also intended as a modern cultural center located in a central location and equipped with multipurpose exhibition spaces, an auditorium and lobby, and activity spaces for visitors. The first and second floors of the Pera Museum house three permanent collections belonging to the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation (amongst which are an archeological collection of Anatolian Weights and Measures and a collection of Kütahya Tiles and Ceramics). The third, fourth, and fifth floors are multipurpose exhibition spaces for modern and contemporary art exhibitions.

Sakıp Sabancı Museum (SSM)

The Sabancı University's Sakıp Sabancı Museum is located in Emirgan (European side), at one of Istanbul's oldest settlements on the Bosporus. With the annex of a modern gallery, the exhibition areas of the museum opened to visitors in 2002; with a further extension of the layout in 2005, the technical level of the museum reached international standards. Today the Sakıp Sabancı Museum presents a versatile museum environment with its rich permanent collection, the comprehensive temporary exhibitions that it hosts, its conservation units, model educational programs and the various concerts, conferences and seminars held there. The Sakıp Sabancı Museum hosted various blockbuster exhibitions focusing on the 20th century’s most important artists Salvador Dalí, Rodin and Picasso Made possible with the sponsorship of Akbank. 

Proje 4L / Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art

The Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art is a private collection museum, founded by Sevda and Can Elgiz in 2001. Formerly, under the name of 'Proje4L-Istanbul Museum of Contemporary Art', the space provided three years of useful exposure for the works of established and emerging artists, in order to encourage widespread progressive developments throughout the Turkish contemporary art scene. The museum has subsequently changed its name and format in order to accommodate essential works from 'The Elgiz Collection'. In January 2009 the Museum has moved to its new premises in Maslak and continues its activities with the same mission. The dual objective of the 'Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art' is to facilitate the globalization of contemporary Turkish art, whilst familiarizing the viewing public with a wealth of important international art. By combining high quality work executed by established and emerging artists of Turkish origin with that of well regarded international artists, the Museum ensures the effective promotion of Turkish contemporary culture. The Elgiz Museum of Contemporary Art organizes lectures and seminars in its conference space by inviting international collectors to share their enthusiasm and their experiences in collecting art. Another feature of the Museum is the Project Room, ' Artvarium ' which is reserved for guest artists to undertake temporary exhibitions.

Cer Modern

With the support of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), Cer Modern in Ankara will enable the growth and realization of cultural and artistic projects. Not only on a national but also on an international scale, Cer Modern will provide space and a setting for artistic events and works to be exhibited. Within Cer Modern’s 11,500 sqm area is a variety of artistic spaces, including a temporary exhibition gallery, photo gallery, museum shop, conference and multi-purpose lounge, artist residents’ studios, café and a sculpture park. The ground floor of Cer Modern houses the main gallery where four exhibitions a year will be on display. Cer Modern aims to exhibit collaborative shows by working closely together with international museums and galleries.

Mustafa Ayaz Foundation Plastic Art Museum

The Museum’s construction was launched in 2003 and completed in 2007, and the museum was put into service as a foundation in 2009. The goal of the foundation is to implant the love of art to every section of Turkish society, to educate society through art, and to contribute to the promotion of contemporary Turkish art at home and abroad. The Mustafa Ayaz Museum has a total exhibition space of 5000 m2.

Eskişehir Anatolian University Contemporary Art Museum

The Faculty of Fine Arts of Eskişehir Anatolian University opened its first art gallery in 1987. The museum collection has been enhanced by donations and purchases. The museum collection has works by 172 Turkish and 52 foreign artists.