FEELS SPECIAL : the archaeological museum, Istanbul

Visiting the Archaeological Museum isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when visiting Istanbul. Those who do – and who are a bit curious about architecture – are in for a good surprise.

First there’s the vast courtyard, with mismatched columns and statues scattered in a rather majestic way. Then, there’s the impressive neo-classic façade of the building itself, and the immense hall with its beautiful staircase, all in subtle shades of white and grey. And finally, after wandering through the numerous museum rooms, you arrive in a more modern part of the building. It’s a mid-century modern vibe, but with an ottoman touch: think white marble, dark woods, deep browns and golden details. There’s not a single tourist there, probably because this part hosts a rather boring and extremely extensive collection of potteries, but the decor is surprisingly chic.

Let’s be fair though, for those actually interested in archaeology, the museum’s collection alone is worth the visit, the collection of sarcophagus in particular, which is displayed on the ground floor in a surprisingly moody light.

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