If you’re planning on visiting museums and archeological sites on your trip to Turkey, you’ll want to check out the Turkey Museum Pass. It is a multiple entry pass for tourists to museums run by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. You’ll have options to purchase a pass for all of Turkey, Istanbul, Cappadocia, the Mediterranean regions, and the Aegean region.
Next, let’s look at what the pass is and how it works.
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What is the Turkey Museum Pass?
Purchasing the Museum Pass in Turkey will get you access to over 300 museums and archeological sites run by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism all over the country within a 15-day period. Your 15 days start the first time you use your pass for entry into the museum.
The cost is 600tl for 15 days. It is a great way to save money on museum entry fees if you plan on visiting multiple museums during your trip. Also, not every museum is run by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, so be sure to check the website or Museums of Turkey app for the most current lists.
There are several regional cards available if you don’t want to buy the pass for all of Turkey.
See more of our favorite apps for travel in Turkey.
How to Buy the Turkey Museum Pass
You have several options to purchase the Museum Pass for a specific region or all of Turkey for your trip.
- Buy On-Site | You can wait until you arrive and purchase it at the first site you go to. You’ll be given a physical card that you’ll scan at each site you enter.
- Purchase Online| You can purchase it on the official Museum Pass Turkey website.
- Museums of Turkey App | You can download the Museums of Turkey app and purchase it on the app.
Next, we’ll look at the different regional cards, the cost, and the list of sites each region includes.
Museums of Turkey App
We highly recommend downloading the Museums of Turkey app. You can purchase your Museum Pass from the app. Then at each site you visit, all you must do is scan the QR code in the app to enter the sites. The app makes the whole process super simple.
Also, the app will show you sites that are close to your location, and give you an overview of the sites the hours, and the cost to get in. The Museums of Turkey app is a gold mine of information for your travels in Turkey.
If you decide not to buy a Museum Pass, you can purchase an entrance ticket to individual sites from the app. You’ll need to create an account and then you can make any purchases you need.
Next, we’ll look at the different regional cards, the cost, and the list of sites each region includes.
Regional Museum Passes
Museums Pass Istanbul
Cost: 550TL for 5-day period
You can use the Museum Pass in Istanbul in 13 museums and archaeological sites over 5 days for 360tl. Your 5 days start the first time you use the pass for entry. The most popular sites included in the Museum Pass Istanbul are:
- Galata Tower Museum
- Galata Mevlevihouse
- Istanbul Archaeological Museums
- Topkapi Palace Museum
- Topkapi Palace Museum Harem Apartments
Museums Pass Cappadocia
Cost: 230TL for 3-day period
By purchasing the Cappadocia Museum Pass, you can enter 13 museums run by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism over 3 days for 230tl. The top Cappadocia museums included with the card are:
- Goreme Open Air Museum
- Derinkuyu Underground City
Kaymakli Underground City
- Ihlara Valley
Museums Pass Mediterranean
Cost: 360TL for 7-day period
By purchasing the Mediterranean Museum Pass you have access to over 40 museums and archaeological sites in a 7-day period in the Mediterranean region run by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The cost for the card is 360tl. The most popular sites in the Mediterranean region are:
Museums Pass Aegean Region
Cost: 360TL for 7-day period
With the Aegean Museum pass, you can visit over 40 museums and archaeological sites in the Aegean region over a 7-day period for 360tl. There are so many sites that you can pull off the road and go explore in the Aegean. The most popular Aegean sites you can see with the Aegean Museum Pass are:
- Ephesus
- Ephesus Terrace Houses
- Ephesus Museum
- Hieropolis / Pamukkale
- Laodicea
- Bergama Acropolis
- Kayakoy
- Fethiye Rock Tombs
- Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Save Money with the Museum Pass
Depending on the regions in Turkey you are traveling to and the number of sites you want to visit, the Museum Pass can save you money. For the larger sites, you typically pay 60tl per adult for entrance fees into the museums and archaeological sites. If you have many of the sites on your Turkey itinerary, this can help reduce the cost of your entrance fees. Also, at most of the larger sites, if you show your Museum Pass, you can get discounts on merchandise and any additional activities at the site.
For kids, there are discounted rates for kids 7 – 12 years old. Ultimately, a pass may not be necessary for children traveling with you on your trip because their entrance fees are already reduced. At most sites, kids 6 and under are free.
Museum Pass vs. Muze Kart
Both cards serve the same purpose in gaining access to museums and archaeological sites in Turkey, but they are for different people. The Museum Pass is for foreigners and tourists visiting Turkey. It is only good for a period of days depending on which card you buy. If you are a Turkish citizen or resident, you’ll qualify for the Muze Kart which has a discounted rate and is good for an entire year for all sites in Turkey.
Museum Pass FAQs
According to the Museums of Turkey app, the top 10 museums in Turkey are:
- Istanbul Archaeological Museums
- Hierapolis / Pamukkale
- Ephesus
- Ihlara Valley
- Troy
- Derinkuyu Underground City
- Goreme
- Kaymakli Underground City
- Gobeklitepe
For more bucket list experiences in Turkey, see our guide.
The price for the Museum Pass Turkiye is 600tl for a 15-day period for any museum in Turkey run by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The 15 days start the first time you use the card to enter the site. Most of the large sites charge a 60tl entrance fee, and smaller sites can range from 12tl – 30tl entrance fee.
Yes, you can buy the Istanbul Museum Pass for 360tl to access 13 museums in Istanbul over a 5-day period. If you’re only visiting Istanbul, this a great option for a multi-entry pass to museums and archaeological sites. Your 5 days start the first time you use the pass to enter a site.
