İstanbul Modern

Founded in 2004 with the aim of bringing Türkiye’s artistic creativity and cultural heritage into dialogue with national and international art scenes, Istanbul Modern is Türkiye’s first museum of modern and contemporary art. Alongside exhibitions focused on modern and contemporary art, the museum brings together diverse forms of artistic expression through its interdisciplinary programs.

Istanbul Modern collects, preserves, exhibits, and documents modern and contemporary artworks alongside creative productions in photography, design, architecture, new media, and cinema. While contributing to the international visibility of Türkiye’s cultural identity, the museum supports artistic production and fosters international collaborations. Embracing accessibility as a core mission, Istanbul Modern develops comprehensive educational and public programs for audiences of all ages.

Through its collections, exhibitions, and educational initiatives, the museum aims to encourage active engagement with art among visitors from different age groups and backgrounds. Located on the Karaköy waterfront along the Bosphorus, Istanbul Modern operated between 2004 and 2018 in Antrepo No. 4, a building spanning 8,000 square meters, before welcoming visitors at a temporary space in Beyoğlu during the construction of its new building.

Designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Istanbul Modern’s new building reopened at its original Karaköy location on May 4, 2023. Reflecting the Bosphorus’s shifting light and its relationship with water, the building’s transparent and open architecture strengthens the continuity between the waterfront and Tophane Park, while offering panoramic views toward the Anatolian side, the Princes’ Islands, and the Historical Peninsula. With its galleries, auditorium, library, education spaces, and a rooftop terrace positioned above a shallow plane of water, the new building is conceived as a multilayered cultural space that brings architecture and public experience together.

With its temporary and collection exhibitions, Photography Gallery, education and public programs, library, cinema, café, and museum shop, Istanbul Modern continues its activities in its new building as a multifaceted center for culture and the arts.