The Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum, located in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet Square, has opened its doors with new exhibits, showcasing some of the most remarkable examples of historical and cultural heritage. The renewed museum showcases artifacts from Byzantium and Ottoman Eras of the city. On May 22, the museum reopened its doors with a rich and diversified collection featuring 30 new works.
The renewed “Museum Historical Artifacts Collection” includes a 15th-century Quran, rare candlesticks, and liturgical materials belonging to the Christian religion, offering visitors a journey through a wide range of history.
The museum also exhibits a historical brick used in the construction of Hagia Sophia with ancient Greek inscriptions, and the bronze medallions made by the Fossatti Brothers, which cover the faces of the four Seraphim Angels in the dome.
The old Defter-i Hakani Nezareti (Land Registry Directorate) building in the historic district was converted into a museum in 2023 by the Culture and Tourism Ministry. The Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum now presents the 1,700-year history of Hagia Sophia to visitors as a visual and auditory feast using the latest technologies.
The museum also displays documents related to the Hagia Sophia Mosque Foundation, providing a detailed information about the administration of the foundation and its expenditures.
