The Hagia Sophia History Museum houses a fascinating 3D exhibit that allows all visitors to interact with it to discover more about the Mosque!
Most visitors don’t know such a museum still exists today, since the original structure was made into a Mosque, and miss this fun exhibit, a 5-minute walk from the Mosque.
Visitors planning to explore the Hagia Sophia History Museum must know all about the fun exhibits inside and affordable tickets.
Read further to discover this museum’s fun experience and the timings to plan an enjoyable visit!
What is Inside the Hagia Sophia Museum
The Hagia Sophia Museum opened in 2023 and features a stunning 3D display of the mosque’s 1,700-year-old history!
It is a three-story museum, and you will begin exploring from the third floor, which features a stunning display of Roman Empire architecture.
On the second floor of the museum is an audio-visual Ottoman History display!
The museum’s first floor is the most unique, as it displays the cathedral, mosque, and old museum artifacts and ends with the new Mosque display.
You can see artifacts from the ancient period when the Virgin Mary and Christ Child mosaic was painted.
The Mosque section of this floor shows items from when the Minbar and Mihrab were constructed inside the Mosque.
The Museum segment in the space shows never-before-seen artifacts from the ancient Museum inside the Hagia Sophia building!
It is a complete digital experience, and every space wall is lined with giant screens and simulations.
The History Museum is the perfect place for kids to learn more about the history of Hagia Sophia by seeing the animations and visual displays in the museum!
Architects will also enjoy seeing the materials with which the stunning Hagia Sophia was constructed.
There are stamped bricks and an example of the beautiful mosaics that covered the building.
You can also see a stunning view of the Eastern Roman Cistern from the massive windows located on the structure’s ground floor!
Hagia Sophia Museum Tickets
You must have Hagia Sophia Museum tickets to explore the 3D displays inside this space.
Please remember that the same ticket you used to enter the Hagia Sophia Mosque will not give you access to the History and Experience Museum.
You can get a standard Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum ticket with a skip-the-line entry for adults 99 years and below for ₺909 ($28)!
All museum visitors are accompanied by a guide who will direct them in groups.
So, you do not need to buy a separate guided experience, as all primary tickets include a guided tour to ensure a complete historical experience.
Locating the Museum
The History and Experience Museum is not inside the main structure of the Hagia Sophia Mosque.
You will find the space at Sultanahmet Square, standing beside the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum!
It is a five-minute walk from the Hagia Sophia Mosque,
Address: Binbirdirek, At Meydanı Cd No:10, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye. Get Directions.
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Hagia Sophia Museum Hours & Time Needed
The Museum operates the same hours as the Hagia Sophia Mosque and can be visited from 9 am to 7 pm on all days of the week.
We recommend calling the Museum three weeks before your visit to ensure the timings are the same on your day of visitation.
Visitors can enjoy less crowds in this space at all times of the day since most pilgrims only visit the Mosque and leave.
The museum is a better place to visit for history and architecture lovers!
You can easily plan to visit the museum after seeing the Mosque since it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to see the entire space.
It takes at least 30 minutes to get through the audio-visual exhibits on the first and second floors.
The museum is open during the prayer hours from 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm when the Mosque is closed.
Hagia Sophia Museum History
The Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum stands in the historical Ottoman building known as Defterhane.
The Ottomans used it as a treasury building, and it is now under the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre.
On closing, the building was stamped with the Ottoman seal, the Grand Vizier Seal.
The building was designed and constructed by Vedat Tek in 1907 or 1908 and was completed in 1910.
FAQs on Hagia Sophia Museum
What is inside the Hagia Sophia Museum?
You can enjoy 3D and audio-visual exhibits covering the complete history and architecture of the Mosque from its construction to the present. Visitors can also see ancient artifacts, construction materials, and more!
Where is the museum located?
The Museum stands beside the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum in Sultanahmet District.
What are the timings of the Hagia Sophia History Museum?
The Museum opens at 9 am and closes at 7 pm on all days of the week.
Do I need tickets to see the Museum?
You need Hagia Sophia Museum tickets to explore the History Museum. The entry ticket costs ₺909 ($28) for all visitors.
Who built the building in which the Hagia Sophia Museum stands?
Vedat Tek constructed the building inside which Hagia Sophia’s Museum is located. He completed the construction in 1910, now under the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre.
How many floors is the exhibit?
The exhibit spans three floors, with Byzantine history on the third floor, Ottoman history on the second floor, and ancient artifacts from all time periods on the first floor.
How long does seeing the Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum take?
It takes around an hour and a half to explore all floors of the Hagia Sophia Museum.
When is the Museum least crowded?
You can enjoy less crowd inside the museum at all times between 9 am to 7 pm. You will find the least crowd at the museum during off-peak tourism season from October to March.
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Featured Photo by Igor Sporynin on Unsplash
