Open on Monday
These sites welcome visitors on Monday, often with bigger crowds because other museums are closed.
| Place | Monday hours | Closing day |
|---|---|---|
| Topkapı Palace | 09:00-18:00 (ticket offices until 17:00) | Tuesday |
| Hagia Irene | 09:00-18:00 (ticket offices until 17:00) | Tuesday |
| Archaeological museums | 09:00-18:30 (ticket office until 17:30) | None |
| Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts | 09:00-18:30 (tills until 17:30) | None |
| Hagia Sophia History Museum | 09:00-19:00 (some official pages say 20:00) | None |
| Hagia Sophia | 08:00 or 09:00 to 19:30 depending on the season | None (visits suspended on Fridays from noon to 2pm) |
| Basilica Cistern | 09:00-18:30, then evening session | None |
| Galata Tower | 08:30-22:00 | None |
| Maiden's Tower | 09:00-18:00 | None |
| Saint Saviour in Chora | 09:00-18:00 | Friday |
| Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam | 09:00-18:30 (depending on the source) | None |
The Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar are also open on Monday (the Grand Bazaar closes on Sunday): see the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. Mosques can be visited too, outside prayer times.
Closed on Monday
| Place | Open | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dolmabahçe Palace | Tuesday-Sunday 09:00-17:00 | Monday is the weekly closing day |
| Beylerbeyi Palace | Tuesday-Sunday 09:00-17:00 | Same rule |
| Istanbul Modern | Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00 | Fridays until 8pm |
| Pera Museum | Tuesday-Sunday | Free on Fridays from 6pm to 10pm |
| Sakıp Sabancı Museum | Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00 | Free on Tuesdays |
| Rahmi M. Koç Museum | Tuesday-Sunday 09:30-17:30 or 18:00 | Weekends until 6pm |
| Museum of Innocence | Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00 | Last entry 17:30 |
| Panorama 1453 Museum | Tuesday-Sunday 08:30-16:30 | |
| Naval Museum | Tuesday-Sunday | Shorter hours on weekdays |
Other closing days to remember
- Tuesday: Topkapı Palace and Hagia Irene are closed. Tuesday is also the free day at the Sakıp Sabancı Museum.
- Wednesday: Yıldız Palace is closed, the park stays open (see Yıldız Park).
- Friday: Saint Saviour in Chora is closed; Hagia Sophia suspends visits from noon to 2pm.
- Sunday: the Grand Bazaar is closed.
- Closed for restoration: the Military Museum since 1 June 2026 and the Rumeli Hisarı fortress.
- Holidays: public museums often close on 1 January and on the first day of the religious holidays; see public holidays and bayrams.
A Monday in Istanbul: a suggested route
In the morning, Topkapı at opening time (arrive before 9am), then the nearby archaeological museums in Gülhane Park. In the afternoon, Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern, then a sunset at the Galata Tower. A rainy Monday can also be handled with the indoor museums above: see what to do when it rains. To rank the museums by your tastes, read the best museums in Istanbul, and for combined tickets, the Museum Pass.
Hours seen in October 2026 on the museums' official pages; they change with the season and on holidays: check before you go.
