The Turkish ministry of tourism recently developed a series of museum passes which will grant you entry into most of the government-run museums for a fixed price over a set time period. The passes can potentially save you money, but perhaps their biggest benefit is that they allow you to skip the ticket lines! That is a huge advantage at places like Aya Sofya and Topkapı during peak tourist season. The passes can be purchased at any of the major government-run museums (e.g., Aya Sofya). Plan ahead and buy the pass at the beginning of your stay to get the most bang for your buck. Check out the list of available passes below to see what pass best fits your trip.
Museum Pass Turkey
This pass gets you entry into any government-run museum in the entire country for 375TL and is valid for 15 days. The price of this pass recently jumped, but its still a pretty good deal if you plan to visit the major sites in Istanbul and visit another region as well. The pass will also give you discounts at museum shops and cafes.
Museum Pass Istanbul
This allows you to visit all government-run museums in Istanbul over a 5-day period for 220TL. Check out my Istanbul Museum Pass post for more info about what is included.
Museum Pass Cappadocia
Allows you to visit the main sites in Cappadocia over a 3-day period for 130TL. Check out my Cappadocia Museum Pass post for more info about what is included.
Museum Pass Aegean
This pass gets you admission to all museums and ruins in the Aegean provinces of Izmir, Muğla, and Aydin. The pass is valid for 7 days and costs 220TL. The pass includes admission to the sites and museums in Ephesus and Selçuk, Bergama, Aphrodisias, and the sites in Bodrum and Marmaris. If you are planning to visit Ephesus and the Aegean coast (and don’t already have the Museum Pass Turkey) this pass is a good deal. The pass can be purchased at any of the sites in these provinces.
Museum Pass Mediterranean
This pass gets you admission to all museums and ancient sites in the Mediterranean provinces of Antalya, Mersin and Adana. It is valid for 7 days and costs 220TL. It includes all the ancient sites around Antalya, on the Turquoise coast up until Xanthos, and on the eastern Mediterranean all the way to Adana. If you are planning to visit Antalya and visit the ancient sites there this pass will easily pay for itself.
