Discover Şişli: Museums, Theatre and Architectural History

When looking for a hotel in Şişli, the destination’s cultural highlights can help inform your decision. They range from museum collections and institutional history to architecture and the theatre stage. Seasonal sporting events in two parks are another option. The following places to visit show the different perspectives Şişli has to offer.

Museums and historical perspectives

The Ara Güler Museum was founded in collaboration with Ara Güler and the Doğuş Group. It opened on 16 August 2018, Ara Güler’s 90th birthday, and is located at Bomontiada. The museum aims to introduce Ara Güler’s multifaceted artistic personality, inspiring life and valuable archive to a broad audience. Its opening day and mission link the museum directly to Ara Güler and his life’s work. Alongside the presentation of an archive, it also focuses on how a person and their work can be brought closer to a broad audience.

Most of the collection at the Atatürk Museum consists of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s clothing and uniforms, photographs from his civilian and military life, documents written in his own hand, medals and personal mementos. The collection brings together different types of objects: clothing, images, documents and personal keepsakes. The photographs also cover both Atatürk’s civilian and military life. This gives the museum’s collection several thematic points of entry rather than limiting it to a single type of object.

Architectural history and the stage

The history of the institution and that of the former Harbiye building should be considered as two distinct timelines at the Military Museum. The institution’s roots date back to the 15th century. Restoration work on the former Harbiye building began in 1966; on 10 February 1993, it opened to visitors as a Military Museum with a new design. This brings together the institution’s long history and a later chapter in the building’s story: the restoration and its reopening with a new design belong to the history of the Harbiye building, while the earlier origins relate to the institution.

Architectural history is also part of the neighbourhood’s cultural offerings. The Bomonti Brewery, south of Abide-i Hürriyet Caddesi, is one of Şişli’s notable buildings. It adds an architectural point of interest to the museum collections. The Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Sahnesi offers another cultural perspective: it is one of the stages of the İBB Şehir Tiyatroları. As well as museums and buildings, Şişli therefore has a theatre stage and its institutional affiliation as a distinct area of interest.

Cultural routes and seasonal activities

The Şişli travel guide provides information about the neighbourhood’s immovable cultural heritage. It divides it into three excursion areas and four themes. You can create your own route or follow a suggested one. Choosing between a self-planned and a suggested itinerary lets you organise the cultural heritage sites according to your interests. The guide’s division by areas and themes offers two different approaches: you can follow a theme or plan the route yourself.

There is also a seasonal outdoor fitness programme: open-air sports events are held at Maçka Sanat Parkı and Haydar Aliyev Parkı on weekdays from 09:00 to 11:30, June through September. These details specify the season, days of the week and time slot. The exact annual schedule may change. Check the current dates before your trip if you would like to include one of the events in your plans.

You can choose different areas of focus for a stay in Şişli: the museums’ collections and life stories, the Military Museum’s institutional past, architectural history, theatre or seasonal sporting activities. These themes can help you decide what kind of cultural and leisure focus you want for your trip before choosing a hotel.

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