Galataport Istanbul Art Museums

[PasadenaDave]

Presently they are finishing construction on the new Modern Art Museum at the port.  There is also the Museum of Painting and Sculpture at the port and it is free.  I learned of it from Google Maps.  Both museums are on the port property and adjacent the property is a mosque with nice architecture. If you have after trips to Haghia Sophia and the Blue Mosque this is recommended 

[Hlitner]

Interesting info and something we might check out during our next visit.  But that would come after the places you mentioned, Topkapi, Basilica Cistern, Covered (Grand Bazaar) and a few other places.  The city simply has an amazing collection of places worthy of a visit.  Istanbul used to be one of our favorite cities to visit but that has now been tempered somewhat by the policies of the current government.

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

26 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Interesting info and something we might check out during our next visit.  But that would come after the places you mentioned, Topkapi, Basilica Cistern, Covered (Grand Bazaar) and a few other places.

 

Not to mention:

• The fabulous Archaeological Museum (lots and lots of loot from the various Greek and Roman sites, including the famous "Alexander sarcophagus" -- not to mention Troy. Honorable mention to a piece of the (huge) chain that was used to block enemy ships from entering Constantinople (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/golden-horn-chain).
• The Great Palace Mosaics Museum -- the only place where you can see remains of one of the former Imperial palaces when Istanbul was Constantinople, the "New Rome".   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Palace_Mosaic_Museum
• Chora Church
• Suleimaniye Mosque
• Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art (located in a fabulous Ottoman palace just off the hippodrome)
• Ancient city walls
• Bosphorus cruise
• ...and more

[PasadenaDave]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

Interesting info and something we might check out during our next visit.  But that would come after the places you mentioned, Topkapi, Basilica Cistern, Covered (Grand Bazaar) and a few other places.  The city simply has an amazing collection of places worthy of a visit.  Istanbul used to be one of our favorite cities to visit but that has now been tempered somewhat by the policies of the current government.

 

Hank

I meant to say if you have time after the other places, but for my tastes, The Grand Bazaar was just annoying shops and hawkers.  I am not a shopper and I don’t like obnoxious merchants getting in my face.

 

like most places, don’t pay attention to who is in power, for the most part.

[cruisemom42]

10 hours ago, PasadenaDave said:

I meant to say if you have time after the other places

 

It's good information, didn't mean to make it sound like it was not worth checking out. Often you're left with that little bit of time at the end of the day -- it would be nice to have something to do near the port.

Edited May 9, 2022 by cruisemom42

[WESTEAST]

On 5/8/2022 at 8:33 AM, PasadenaDave said:

I meant to say if you have time after the other places, but for my tastes, The Grand Bazaar was just annoying shops and hawkers.  I am not a shopper and I don’t like obnoxious merchants getting in my face.

 

like most places, don’t pay attention to who is in power, for the most part.

We agree that the Grand Bazaar was disappointing to us and found the merchants overbearing. On our next visit, we plan to visit the Basilica Cistern and the Spice Bazaar to check off the remaining sites we've not seen and will look into the museums you've mentioned at the port. 

[Hlitner]

15 hours ago, WESTEAST said:

We agree that the Grand Bazaar was disappointing to us and found the merchants overbearing. On our next visit, we plan to visit the Basilica Cistern and the Spice Bazaar to check off the remaining sites we've not seen and will look into the museums you've mentioned at the port. 

Sometimes Things can be fun if you simply play along with the culture.  We are not shoppers but do enjoy browsing.  One day hike walking through the aGrand Bazaar, DW spotted a small carpet (about 2 feet square) that we though would make a terrific wall hanging.  When the stall owner saw we were looking he invited us in the rear here he provided us with tea/snacks and some good conversation.  Later we did negotiate a fair price for that tiny carpet and then DW mentioned she was looking for a specific type of small leather purse.  Of course this stall owner took us to see his “cousin” who had the exact purse.  All good fun and very inexpensive.  
 

I should mention that we live in Mexico (part of the year) where merchants and vendors can also be “overbearing” by our standards.  It is simply cultural differences and something to which we are accustomed.   For us part of the joy of independent travel is we learn and adapt to different cultural norms as opposed to trying to project our own culture on others.
 

Hank