Harbiye Military Museum and Cultural Site Command

If you like weapons of all sorts, you're in for a treat, same if you like uniforms, helmets and shield. The museum introduces you to the origins of the Turks, from Central Asia to Turkïye, then with the help of human-sized diorama and huge paintings, you can understand the creation of the Ottoman state, the majors battles like Varna, in 1444 and the fall of Constantinople, in 1453. Then prepare yourself for a astonishing collection of weapons, pistols, sabers and others, some decorated, some experimental. You can also learn more about the different struggles for independance from countries under Ottoman rule, as well as the battles of WW1, the intervention in Cyprus in 1974 and to conclude, a room entierly dedicates to Ataturk, his uniforms, his life and his actions in the birth of the Republic of Turkey after WW1. A very interesting museum, but the two major issues are prices, the entrance is listed on different website and Google maps at around 2-3€, so less than 200TL when in reality it's 750TL so around 15€, it's was quite a shock when I arrived. Secondly the lack of descriptions at some point makes it difficult to understand everything we see, at the beginning of the museum, you will have plenty of informations and after it will become quite rare, but I understand that with sich a collections, the task of putting detailles informations every time becomes an herculean task. Nonetheless, it remains an great museum where you'll spend hours, but beware of the prices and everything should be fine.

A comprehensive military history of the Turkish military, although we didn't go upstairs to see the Great war and the Independence war. The use of artwork and models was different to other military museums I've been to, which offers an interesting perspective. Information is available in English, which is appreciated. Overall for those interested in this subject, the museum is well worth a visit

This was quite an amazing museum. It was enormous. I learned so much. I will be back because two hours was not sufficient time. Highly recommended. Very gory and explicit. War is Hell!!!!

I think I paid £5.50 student price for entry and was very impressed by the size of the museum and variety they had. I didn’t even get time to finish seeing everything as they shut at an awkward time lf 16:00 but still it was well worth the money and most things well explained in english for me. Also in a decent location, accessible easily by bus. As a side note, they have very very nice official gifts/memorabilia for sale there so if you can’t think of what to bring back definitely consider going even if it’s just for a look at their shop!

The concert which shows every day is awesome. Music and their performance was very impressive and great. But museum is expensive for foreigner like other Turkey tourist attractions. They just curate all things what they have. But still worth to visit.

This museum, which tells Turkish military history in a very cool way, offers a militaristic spectacle by presenting many wars throughout history and the materials used in that war. Besides helping us to understand Turkish history from ancient times to the present day, it also includes products from many countries.

Military museum where you can pay only by card. For tourist it’s 600TL, so be careful. Museum is static, pictures guns some texts. Good was presentation of war in Cyprus’s, that was good to know what’s happened there. I was missing some timelines, maps, som interactive panels.

One of Istanbul's best kept secrets! Amazing collection of antiquities.

Really great museum with great exhibits. My favorite was the chain that was run across the Golden Horn in an effort to hold off the invading Ottomans in 1453. Not to be missed is the military concert at 3pm in the auditorium.

Over the years, I've been to many military museums. This one is quite big and holds a ton of information and pieces. But so is overwhelming, it seems unorganized. I know it's not, but there's really no flow to it. There literally rooms after rooms fills with great historical pieces. But they are in no particular order. Rooms that hold only hand guns, only long rifles and etc. so much. I wish they told a chronological story. Put the pieces in order of the history of the Turkish and prior empires. Tell me and show me what was used and why from BC to present day Turkey. A map would be great also. The rooms wind down different hallways and up stairs. It's possible to miss an area if you're not paying attention. If wish to visit, I recommend going in the morning. I arrived around two in the afternoon, I don't think I was a third of the way through the exhibits when told it was closing and to make my way back to the entrance. Outside there is a fabulous park with a few planes and artillery pieces to check out. Currently 2021, you need to show ID and Covid vaccine card at the gate to enter the property. Not only is it a museum, it still houses some military offices.

Military and cultural Museum the home of the oldest military band in the world. Lots of cannons, uniforms, armory, artillery tanks and weapons. This is also a military base and security very stringent. There were a lot of artifacts and photographs as well.

It was such a let down! I'd been to the museum many years (1990s) and it was absolutely fascinating! The most amazing part was the giant room devoted to the Ottoman field commanders tents...incredible! And, there were weapons and artifacts from the entire history of humans in Anatolya. Now, all of that is gone. It's incredibly incisive when it comes to Ataturk, as one would expect. From his silk undies and his silverware to all of his victories and passion for Turkey. But, there's no one cueing to enter the military museum these days. It's dark inside, with artificial lighting coming on with motion detectors. If you stand in one spot examining anything for more than a few seconds, all the lights go off. It's just kind of eery. And, previously a smaller Janissary Band had played in the garden courtyard. Now, they're in a largely empty auditorium; kinda sad. Anyhow, it was very disappointing. I had recommended it to so many people based on my previous experience. I certainly wouldn't recommend it now.

First, the museum is, in a word, sprawling. When I went it was virtually unattended by other guests, leaving me the luxury of wandering along cavernous corridors packed with historic artifacts from the last 1,000 years of Anatolian Turkish military history by myself. The Good - If you are a serious military history buff this museum will not disappoint. One might think there is no "back room" or "archives" at the museum and that every single item from the collection is on the floor given the vast quantity of militaria on display. The Mehter Band performance (daily at 3 p.m.) is absolutely wonderful and a trip to the museum that does not include it will be a trip wasted. The Bad - While I am not a fan of interpretative centers that call themselves museums (that is, museums that use floor space for illustrated panels and interactive exhibits rather than actual historic artifacts), a happy balance is sometimes appreciated to offer higher levels of engagement for the lay visitor. The method of display at the Istanbul Military Museum is very rudimentary with corridor after corridor of captured flags, historic uniforms, weapons, etc., stacked inside 50 year-old glass cases. Some attempts at more engaging exhibits have a dated quality. The many centuries old chain used by the Byzantines to block the Golden Horn, while an incredibly important artifact to behold, is piled on the floor of a room whose light bulb was burned-out when I visited.

This is the main military history museum in Istanbul. The individual items are very nicely presented, though the lighting is not always conducive to seeing the exhibits clearly. Also the signage is a bit hit or miss and, unlike many other museums in Turkey, there is no audio guide offered. The layout is also a bit awkward, requiring you to enter rooms and then backtrack. Clearly the building started as something else before being converted to its present use. The highlight is clearly the daily (3:00-4:00) Mehter presentation. This Turk Drum and Bugle show must be seen! While I would not put it at the top tier of places to see in Istanbul, it is worth it if you have an interest in sharp, pointy items or things that go 'boom'. And the chance to see the chain that stretched across the Golden Horn in 1453 is not to be missed!

I love military museums, visiting key ones when I have the chance, and this ranks highly among them. This is just the army museum, since the city has separate air force and navy museums. It is housed what is left of an old Ottoman army and cadet facility, the name of the whole part of the city, Harbiye, taken from its past days as a military centre. Part of the museum is obviously old, part new. It has extensive artifacts from the early Ottoman period up through the 20th century, with uniforms, weapons, flags, tents, artillery, etc. There is sadly little actual old authentic janissary equipment, likely due in part to its long decline after the late 17th century and the unfortunate feeling in the early 19th century that they needed to annihilate that once formidable corps, which took place in the so-called "Auspicious Event" or Vaka-i Hayriye. There is also a Byzantine banner and part of the chain the Byzantines used to block the Golden Horn.