Sakıp Sabancı Museum

Sakıp Sabancı Museum

Museum History

Sabancı University's Sakıp Sabancı Museum is located in Emirgan, at one of Istanbul's oldest settlements on the Bosphorus.In 1925, Prince Mehmed Ali Hasan of the Hidiv family of Egypt commissioned the Italian architect Edouard De Nari to build the villa, now the museum's main building, and it was used as a summer house for many years by various members of the Hidiv family.
After the mansion was purchased in 1951 by industrialist Hacı Ömer Sabancı from Princess Iffet, a member of the Hidiv family, as a summer residence, it came to be known as Atlı Köşk, “The Mansion with the Horse”, because of the statue of a horse (purchased in the same year) that was installed in the garden; the statue is the 1864 work of the French sculptor Louis Doumas.
A second horse sculpture on the grounds of Atlı Köşk that gave the mansion its name is the cast of one of the four horses taken from Sultanahmet square in Istanbul when it was looted by Crusaders during the Fourth Crusade in 1204 and removed to the Basilica of San Marco in Venice.
After the death of Hacı Ömer Sabancı in 1966, Atlı Köşk began to be used permanently as a home by Sakıp Sabancı in 1974 as the eldest of the family, and for many years housed Sakıp Sabancı's rich collection of calligraphy and paintings. In 1998, together with its collection and furnishings, the mansion was bequeathed to Sabancı University by the Sabancı family to be transformed into a museum.With the annex of a modern gallery, the exhibition areas of the museum opened to visitors in 2002; with a further extension of the layout in 2005, the technical level of the museum reached international standards.Today Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum presents a versatile museological environment with its rich permanent collection, the comprehensive temporary exhibitions that it hosts, its conservation units, model educational programs and the various concerts, conferences and seminars held there.
What i liked the most in my visit to the museum is the architecture of the museum which was formerly the house of Sakip Sabanci, along with the gardens and the scenery. It actually overlooks the Bosphorous from a new angle, which is different from the common ones you see in most of the touristic attractions in Istanbul.
PS: you should account for time in traffic on the sea-side road to the museum and you could also benefit from the nice cafes in Bebek.

“Wonderful exhibitions every year and great collection from Sabancı Family”

Sakıp Sabancı Museum is private museum and a wonderful gift from Sabancı Family to all of us.
You can see Sakıp Sabancı's collection of calligraphic works, Korans and traditional art. the painting collection is very rich and you would enjoy the early Turkish painting as well as the works of foreign artists who painted in Istanbul during the Ottoman Empire. You will discover paintings from painters like Osman Hamdi Bey, Şeker Ahmed Paşa, İbrahim Çallı, Feyhaman Duran, Fikret Mualla, Fausto Zonaro and Ivan Ayvazovski.
Lovely location : the visit of the garden is also a unique experience…
Also a nice gift shop worth of a visit.
The café inside the museum is a good idea for a drink after your visit.

Access: Bus stop - Emirgan Çınaraltı on the shore
Buses :
From Kabatas : 22RE Kabataş - Reşitpaşa or 25E Kabataş - Sariyer or 22 Kabataş - İstinye Dereiçi
From Taksim :
40 Taksim - Sariyer
40T Taksim - İstinye Dereiçi
42T Taksim – Bahçeköy

Entrance fee: 20 TL
Wednesday : free !! and open till 20:00
Closed on Monday

The closest bus stop is at Emirgan Çınaraltı on the shore. Buses on that route:

22RE Kabataş - Reşitpaşa
25E Kabataş - Sariyer
22 Kabataş - İstinye Dereiçi
40 Taksim - Sariyer
40T Taksim - İstinye Dereiçi
42T Taksim – Bahçeköy
EL2 Emirgân - 4. Levent Metro Ring (Subway)