Pera Museum

Once a hotel, now an art museum

Quite feudal, it stands there, the museum building that houses the Pera Museum. In 1893, the building, which initially served as a luxurious place to stay under the name Bristol Hotel, was erected in what was then Istanbul's most expensive and prestigious district. In June 2005, after a reconstruction, the Pera Museum moved into the hotel building. The facade of the former Bristol Hotel has been preserved, and is a sight in itself.

Inside you will find the Oriental Painting Gallery, the Department of Kütahya Tiles and Ceramics, the Collection of Anatolian Weights and Measures, interesting temporary exhibitions, as well as an Art Deco Tea Salon, which testifies to the opulent comfort of the old Bristol Hotel.

The Oriental Paintings Collection

The heart of the Pera Museum's collection is undoubtedly the Oriental Paintings Collection. It is one of the most extensive collections of paintings in Turkey. On display here are paintings created from the 17th to the 19th centuries. The themes of the paintings are the Ottoman world and culture. In the Pera Museum you will discover not only paintings by Ottoman painters, such as Osman Hamdi Bey, but also by international artists. Jean Baptiste Vanmour, Fausto Zonaro or the Briton Tristram James Ellis are also exhibited here. Of course, the motifs in each case are taken from the Ottoman cultural area.

Photographs, tiles and ceramics

The Pera Museum's collection of photographs is particularly interesting. On 7,000 prints you can discover how life and everyday life of the Turkish population changed from the 19th to the late 20th century. The Kütahya Tile and Ceramic Collection displays tiles and ceramics from the 18th to the 20th century. These are artifacts that will give you an exemplary overview of the Ottoman craftsmanship of this era.

Anatolian weights and measures

This section will make your eyes glaze over: more than 8,000 exhibits from the prehistory to the present of Anatolia are gathered here. You can admire all kinds of scales and measuring instruments, lengths, weights and volumes. Sometimes they are utilitarian objects, sometimes they are artistically designed exhibits that have more of a decorative character.

Temporary exhibitions and educational programs

The Pera Museum is known for its high-quality temporary exhibitions, which deal with Pablo Picasso or Joan Miro, for example. The museum's educational concept brings both children and adults closer to oriental art through guided tours and work-shops.