Miniaturk Museum is a showcase that reflects the historical and cultural heritage in every corner of Turkey. Turkey is located in Anatolia, which has a history of thousands of years. You can make a list of historical places to visit in Turkey by visiting Miniaturk. You can be sure that the abundance of these works will surprise you.
The exact models of the historical artifacts exhibited in Miniaturk attract the attention of children the most. Apart from these models, there are many activity areas for children in the museum. For this reason, visiting Miniaturk is among the best activities to do with children in Istanbul.
In this article, you can find general information about Miniaturk Museum located on the shores of Istanbul’s Golden Horn. In addition, Miniaturk entrance fee and opening hours are also noted.
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Things to See in Miniaturk Museum
There is a considerable legacy of bronze age civilizations and empires such as Rome, Byzantium and Ottoman in Anatolia. Each of these civilizations left many historical monuments in Turkey. Things to see in Miniaturk Museum include many ancient cities, temples and palaces built since ancient times.
1. Architectural Models
Architectural models that symbolize the historical artifacts of Turkey stand out in Miniaturk. There are 134 models at a scale of 1/25 displayed here to teach the history of Turkey and architecture to kids. Therefore, kids are able to come up with the height of the models. As they have a chance to observe the models from on high, they understand the architectural features of these models more efficiently.
The motto of Miniaturk is “A small model of a great country” and one-fourth of the 60000 square meter area of the museum is composed of the models. It should be added that the models are made with great skill and the works are faithful to the original.
You will have a chance to see the models of caravansaries, social complexes, madrasahs, bridges, railway stations, piers, fortresses, shrines, mosques, churches, synagogues, palaces, monuments and sculptures at Miniaturk.
2. Recreational Space in Miniaturk
Recreational Space in Miniaturk allows you to participate in many activities other than seeing historical artifact models. You can also visit Miniaturk Panorama Victory Museum, open air performance area, Kids’ Playground, Ferryboat, Operated Boat, Miniaturk Travel Train, Fairy Tale Tree, Olympic Stadium and Mini Stadium of four biggest football teams of Turkey as well as Labyrinth Park and Chess Area. You can also have a Helicopter Simulation Tour at Miniaturk.
3. Ancient Artifacts in Miniaturk
Ancient Artifacts in Miniaturk invite visitors to a historical journey of thousands of years. You can also find the most important ancient cities in Turkey and reconstructions of the ancient buildings of Anatolia that no longer exist.
The visitors of Miniaturk have a chance to see the Temple of Artemis (located in Ephesus), which is thought to date back to 2500 years ago and one of the original seven wonders of the world and Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (located in Bodrum). Mausoleum at Halicarnassus doesn’t exist anymore. However, some of its parts are preserved at British Museum in England.
4. Mini Stadium Model
Mini Stadium Model is in the recreational space and it is a modern and interactive stadium which can hold up to 53000 spectators. When you insert a coin in the money box of a team you pick, the lights in the stadium are turned on, the chant of that team is played, its flag is waved on the screen, and players line up for the ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, the players return to the dressing room.
5. Miniaturk Travel Train
Miniaturk Travel Train can accommodate up to 20 adults and kids, by which you can tour all around the area. On the other hand, Fairy Tale Tree tells six different stories and Flyride Helicopter Tour Simulation with 3D and shooting enriched by realistic wind, rain, snow and touch effects offer Istanbul tour.
Electronic Information System
Electronic Information System in Miniaturk conveys the details of each historical artifact exhibited in the museum to the visitors. The voice guide system offers Turkish, English, French, German, Russian, Arabic, Farsi, Japanese, and Spanish language options.
Miniaturk Museum Entrance Fee 2024
Miniaturk Museum entrance fee is 250 Turkish Liras as of 2024. The Istanbul Museum Pass is not valid in this particular museum. Information on ticket price was last updated on November 23, 2023.
The Istanbul Museum Pass, a product of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is not valid in museums run by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The other museums in this category are the Basilica Cistern, the Theodosius Cistern, the Panorama 1453 Museum and the Tekfur Palace Museum respectively.
Miniaturk Museum Opening Hours 2024
Miniaturk Museum opening hours are between 09:00 in the morning and 18:00 in the evening. The musuem is open every day, including weekends and public holidays. Information on visiting hours was last updated on November 23, 2023.
Visiting times of museums in Istanbul may change due to events and renovations. Before going to the museum, I recommend you to visit the official website of The Museum and review the latest situation.
How to Get to The Museum?
Miniaturk Museum is located very close to Taksim Square and Sultanahmet, which are the tourist centers of Istanbul. It is possible to reach the museum, which is located where the Golden Horn ends, by bus.
In order to go to Miniaturk Museum from Sultanahmet, you can first take the tram to Eminonu and then take the buses to Sutluce. Of course, the easiest way to reach the museum is to take a taxi. You can reach Miniaturk from Sultanahmet with a 15-20 minute taxi ride.
In order to go to Miniaturk Museum from Taksim Square, you can take the buses in the direction of Sutluce. Or you can take the M2 metro from Taksim Square to the Halic Metro Station in Golden Horn and take a taxi from there. Of course, you can also take a taxi from Taksim Square, but if you take a taxi near the metro bridge on the Golden Horn, the distance will be shorter.
After visiting this entertaining museum, you can also go to Rahmi Koc Museum, which is located very close. Or, you can explore Fener and Balat, one of the most popular districts of the last couple of years. Fener Balat walking tour is one of the most common activities in Istanbul these days.
Written by Serhat Engul
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