Audio GuideNaval Museum

Welcome to the Deniz Müzesi, or Istanbul Naval Museum, the largest museum in Turkey dedicated to maritime history. Set along the vibrant shores of Beşiktaş, this museum tells a story that spans more than a century. Imagine a place where the salty scent of the Bosphorus mixes with the quiet echoes of Turkey’s seafaring past.

Alfa Bravo

The museum first opened its doors in the late nineteenth century, around the year eighteen ninety-seven. It began as a small “Museum and Library Administration” thanks to the vision of Hasan Hüsnü Pasha, a leading naval minister of the Ottoman Empire, and the dedication of figures such as Colonel Hikmet Bey and Captain Süleyman Nutku. Originally located at an old Ottoman shipyard in Kasımpaşa, it served primarily as a military museum—the first of its kind in Turkey.

AYAD H. IBRAHIM

Over the years, the museum evolved and expanded. During the Second World War, valuable artifacts were moved to the safety of Anatolia. After the war, the collection returned to the city, finding a home first in the grand Dolmabahçe Mosque complex, and later, in nineteen sixty-one, moving to its present location beside the monumental tomb of Admiral Barbaros Hayreddin.

Jonathan Bennett

Stepping inside the current three-story building, visitors find themselves surrounded by more than twenty thousand unique pieces. The halls, named after the four main winds, house remarkable treasures—elegant imperial boats called “saltanat kayıkları,” intricate ship models, vibrant naval uniforms, centuries-old maps, and even early Ottoman diving equipment. One striking exhibit features the rowing boats once used by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey.

Youssef Mohamed

Major renovations brought new life to the museum in twenty thirteen, updating the spacious four main halls and seventeen gallery rooms while preserving their historical spirit. Every corner—the shimmering figureheads, ancient navigational tools, and grand weapons on the outdoor lawns—reflects Turkey’s centuries-old connection to the sea.

From the distant Ottoman era through the modern Turkish Republic, Deniz Müzesi stands as both a guardian of memory and a living classroom, inviting guests from all backgrounds to explore the rich maritime heritage that shaped this nation.