The Museum of Ancient Oriental Works in İstanbul is organised by region rather than by period. Its sections cover the pre-Islamic Arabian peninsula, Egypt, Mesopotamia and Anatolia, with a further section of cuneiform documents.
Three objects carry the museum's reputation: the victory stele of the Akkadian king Naram-Sin, the Treaty of Kadesh -- the earliest surviving text of a peace treaty between two states -- and glazed brick panels from the Ishtar Gate of Babylon. The ministry lists a cafe, a shop, an audio guide and step-free access.
Visiting hours
- Visiting hours
- Summer 09:00–22:00 · Winter 09:00–18:30
When to go
- Climate
- Across İstanbul as a whole, monthly mean temperatures run from 6.8 °C in January to 24.7 °C in August; the mean stays between 15 and 25 °C in May, June, July, August, September and October; rainfall is heaviest in December (99 mm) and lightest in July (22 mm). Long-term means for 1950-2025 from the Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM).
