Sakıp Sabancı Museum

If you’re exploring Istanbul and love art, history, or just beautiful views, the Sakıp Sabancı Museum in Emirgan is a must-visit. Also known as The Mansion with the Horse, it sits right on the Bosphorus and is easy to reach by bus from spots like Beşiktaş and Taksim. Tickets are 300 TL, but you can get in for free on Tuesdays between 10:00 and 18:00. The first thing you’ll notice is the impressive bronze horse statue in the garden—hence the mansion’s nickname. Inside, you’ll find stunning collections from the Sabancı Family, including Ottoman calligraphy, old manuscripts, and fine art, all displayed in a gorgeous historic setting with a modern touch. Bonus tip: After your visit, take a short walk over to Emirgan Park. It’s especially beautiful in spring when the tulips are in full bloom!

I absolutely love coming to the Museum when I'm in Istanbul! Tuesdays are the days for free entrance and I sue the chance. The curating is done very professional, and every time when you come, you can be sure that soming new awaits for you. It's good that more descriptions of artifacts in English come up. Please, keep working on new exhibitions!

It is a very interesting and beautiful place!! Very good. It is a free charge on Tuesday

Great place to visit. One of the best preserved collections of calligraphy and a display of art of 18-19th century in one wing, a contemporary art gallery in another. They have a cosy restaurant with a picturesque view from the terrace and a small but charming botanical garden around the museum. A perfect place for a getaway.

Unfortunately we only had about 15min to tour the exhibits (our fault for only arriving with a little bit of time before closing). Nice exhibits of artwork and illuminated manuscripts including copies of the Quran and Sultan's decrees. The restaurant on-site (MSA'NIN) was remarkable in itself.

Good mansion which used to be a house for wealthiest families of Ottoman Empire and Republic of Türkiye. Now it is a museum which permanently owns old scripts of Holy Quran and the letter’s of Ottoman Sultan’s.

Very nice gallery, small and no crowded with its own parking and easy to park, surrounded with a beautiful park. There are nice restaurants to combine for lunch.

A very well kept secret of Istanbul. Away from main touristy places, great views of Bosphorus. Museum is great as well, we have been twice and both times they had unique exhibitions. Gardens of these museums are amazing and great to walk in. And finally , the roof top restaurant is 10/10. From food to ambience and views

As I sat in the back of the van, crawling through traffic from the airport into Istanbul for the very first time, I looked out the window and noticed banner after banner advertising an exhibit of my favourite artist, Joan Miró. After a bit of Googling I discovered that the exhibit had just opened and was at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum. Forget the museum - the grounds alone are absolutely stunning. Lush, green, a calm oasis just off of a busy main road in one of the busiest cities in the world. Gorgeous plants, interesting artwork and water features line the paved walkway uphill towards the museum, itself a stunning historical mansion. There is also a beautiful terrace looking out over the Bosphorus. I could spend hours just relaxing on the grounds. The inside is clean, quite and impeccable. The Miró exhibit was very well done and laid out over two floors. Staff and security were prevalent but not intrusive at all. The permanent collection includes Turkish art from the Ottoman era to the 50s. The gift shop, the cherry on top of any museum for me, was small but had quality items and I even got a free poster of the Miró exhibit. I thought it would be a nice idea to have lunch at the cafe on the top floor but the prices were a little too rich for my blood. Entrance cost is 20TL for adults and 15TL for kids, free on Wednesdays. The museum is closed on Mondays.

Sakıp Sabancı Museum's Calligraphy and the Arts of the Book Collection is my favorite. It consists of illuminated Korans, prayer books, calligraphic albums and panels with Koranic verses, hadith and aphorisms, and illuminated documents bearing the imperial cipher. The Sakıp Sabancı Painting Collection is impressive as well. It is composed of select examples of early Turkish painting as well as the works of foreign artists who worked in Istanbul during the later years of the Ottoman Empire. Apart from permanent collections, the museum constantly houses exhibitions and hosts educational activities. Don't skip the gift shop. It has wonderful stuff.