The Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum is open every day from 09:00 to 19:00.
Our museum is located in the old Defter-i Hakani Building at Sultanahmet Square, just a 5-minute walk from the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque.
Address: Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum, 1001 Direk Mah. At Meydanı Sk.No.10 34122/Fatih-Istanbul/Türkiye
You can purchase tickets at our ticket office located at Sultanahmet Square or online from our official website.
25 Euros for Non-T.C. visitors.
The museum offers two complementary experiences. The first part is a 25-minute digital experience in 23 languages, explaining the history of Hagia Sophia using audio-visual technologies. The second part is the exhibition of sacred artifacts that have never been displayed before, with no time limit on this part of the visit. Waiting times at the entrance can range from 10-30 minutes depending on visitor volume, so please plan accordingly.
The Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum aims to revive the 1700-year history of Hagia Sophia. Visitors can enjoy two distinct experiences.
The tour starts with the Byzantine Period, covering the establishment of the Byzantine state, the construction phases of Hagia Sophia, its advanced architecture, the Iconoclasm period, and the Crusader looting, all presented through innovative visual shows. Visitors will meet historical figures like Emperor Constantine, Emperor Theodosius, mathematician Isidorus, and Emperor Justinian, learning about their contributions to Hagia Sophia.
The Ottoman section, accessed through the Hadith Door, begins with the story of how Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror cherished Hagia Sophia, followed by contributions from subsequent sultans. Architect Sinan’s revisions and contributions are highlighted through extraordinary visual shows.
In the exhibition hall, visitors can explore the history of Hagia Sophia from the 4th century to the present, with a collection of artifacts shown for the first time. About 300 pieces are displayed in four sections: Church, Mosque, Museum, and Mosque again, featuring items like sealed bricks, mosaic materials, calligraphy, and historical paintings.
TThe museum experience is available in 23 languages: Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bahasa, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Turkish and Uzbek.
Our museum is suitable for individuals with disabilities. We recommend that disabled visitors visit our museum with an accompanying person. Our professional team is always at your side to ensure that there are no disruptions during your experience.
For the best experience, please contact us at “ayasofyadeneyimmuzesi@demmuseums.com” for group visits of more than 10 people prior to your visit.
No cancellations or refunds are available for museum tickets. For questions, you can contact us via ayasofyadeneyimmuzesi@demmuseums.com.
Please read the visitor guidelines before your visit. Compliance with visitor regulations is a condition of entry. By entering the museum, you accept our “Visitor Guidelines and Policies.”
