The museum, which is located in the Harbiye district of Istanbul, tells the visitors much about both the Ottoman and Republic times, with its architecture and collection. Harbiye takes its name from the service buildings of the Military Museum, as they were used as Military Academy in the last periods of the Ottoman Empire. The founder of Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk graduated from this academy. The museum exhibits 5.000 of its approximately 55.000 items within the concept of Military cultural properties.
Considering the richness and variety of its collections, the Military Museum is one of the world’s best museums, and its foundation dates back to 15th century. After the Turkish conquest of Istanbul in 1453, Saint Irene Church was formed as a Cebehane used for storage of valuable war tools and equipment. In 1726 all the equipment in Cebehane were rearranged and a new foundation named Darü’l-Esliha was established. The foundations of early Turkish museums, in a modern sense, were laid in 1846, and this date was the real establishment date for both the Military Museum.
Ottoman Army Band is the oldest military band… Janissary Multivision, which introduces the band named “Mehter” with its special costumes and very distinctive instruments, is one of the most attractive features of the museum with its Dardanelles Diorama telling the story of the Dardanelles War and its touch screen computer systems. The Museum and Culture Site Command shares historical artifacts of its own, the military wealth of Turks, with local and foreign researchers and the interested visitors, by means of exhibition according to modern museology techniques.
Harbiye Military Museum and Culture site is open to all local and foreign culture, science and art activities. In the Culture Site, there are various assembly halls for conferences, seminars, symposiums, congresses, panel meetings and temporary exhibition halls for art activities.
The Janissary Band draws attention with its national and international concerts. Every day which the Museum is open, Janissary Band concerts can be seen as two sessions between 15.00 and 16.00. The Military Museum is open every day between 09.00 and 17.00, except for January 1st, the first days of Ramadan and Eid and Mondays and Tuesdays.
Address: Askerî Müze ve Kültür Sitesi Komutanlığı Harbiye- Şişli
Phone: + 90 212 233 2720
