“Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum” sheds light on Hagia Sophia’s rich history

Located in the Defter-i Hakani Nezareti building in Sultanahmet Square, the Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum presents the 1700-year history of Hagia Sophia through a visual feast for both local and foreign visitors.

With its enriched and diversified new artifact collection, the museum showcases valuable pieces from the Byzantine and Ottoman periods, many of which are being displayed for the first time. The updated “Museum Historical Artifacts Collection” includes items such as a 15th-century Quran and Quran fragment, exquisite candlesticks, and liturgical materials from Christianity. Historical bricks used in the construction of Hagia Sophia, inscribed with ancient Greek writings, and bronze medallions covering the faces of the four Seraphim Angels on the dome, made by the Fossati brothers, are also on display.

Daily Visits Reach Approximately 1000 People

Dr. Murat Bozcu, the Museum Director, noted that the number of visitors has increased since the museum’s opening, with about 1000 to 1250 people touring the museum daily. Bozcu emphasized that the museum attracts attention not only through its rich visual and auditory historical narrative but also with its academic information and historical artifacts. He stated, “Our visitors reinforce their digital experience with the academic information provided here. After visiting this place, they gain detailed knowledge when they go to Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque. We know they have a pleasant time.”

Bozcu mentioned that the Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum was the first of the new experience museums initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. He explained, “In the digital section of the museum, our visitors can move from room to room over a wide area without being confined to a specific spot, experiencing the 1700-year history of Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque from its initial construction to the present day through technological means.”

“An Important Collection Related to Christianity is Also in Our Museum”

Bozcu shared that the curation works in the museum had been completed, with 204 artifacts on display. He highlighted that a significant portion of these artifacts were previously kept in museum storage and were now being exhibited for the first time. “We present this rich collection to our visitors’ appreciation and interest, ensuring proper restoration principles with special systems that maintain the balance of heat and humidity,” he added.

What’s Inside the Museum?

The museum tour begins with the section dedicated to Byzantium. This section covers the establishment of the Byzantine state, the phases Hagia Sophia underwent before and after its final structure, its architecture far ahead of its time, its magnificent dome, the destruction during the Iconoclasm period, and the extensive looting during the Crusades, all narrated through specially prepared visual shows and innovative methods like the infinity mirror.

Visitors get to know figures like the city’s founder Constantine, Emperor Theodosius, the architect and mathematician Isidore who was a founding mind behind Hagia Sophia’s unique architecture, and Emperor Justinian, learning about each of their roles in Hagia Sophia’s history.

The Ottoman section, reached through the Hadis gate, starts with the story of Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror and how he cherished Hagia Sophia. It continues with the contributions of subsequent sultans, who each helped revive Hagia Sophia.

In the museum’s exhibition hall, the history of Hagia Sophia from the 4th century to the present is showcased with a significant portion of the artifacts being displayed for the first time. Items such as sealed bricks of the edifice, materials used in its mosaics, calligraphy panels, and historical paintings are exhibited along a chronological corridor.