Modern art is alive and well in Istanbul. I’m a huge fan of contemporary and modern art museums. Visits to the Tate & Pompidou–yes, that’s my speed. So when I was mapping out my trip to Istanbul, I googled modern museums. And I think I hit the jackpot. This open-formatted museum was the summed up the liveliness and spirit of the Istanbul today. It’s got an eye on its history and an eye towards the future. Plus, kids love modern art and since all the trip’s activities need to be kid-friendly, this was a perfect find.
Why modern art? It is often bold, graphic and over-sized–perfect to capture the imagination of kids from tweens to tots. IM was an ideal outing after seeing a ton of mosques and ancient buildings.
We started the day outdoors with a bit of playtime at this nearby beachy playground. Then we walked ten minutes to the Istanbul Modern. The site is in a very angular building with a gorgeous view of the Sultanhamet neighborhood.
The main exhibit was a Burhan DoÄançay retrospective. The Turkish-American artist makes large-format collages, works with found objects and even did a series based on graffited subway tiles. The bright, open format of the museum is a perfect space to see DoÄançay and kid-friendly. We’ve even tried to make some of our collages with POST-IT notes and markers inspired by this visit.
After scanning the first floor we grabbed lunch at the terrific restaurant upstairs. Our view overlooked the Hagia Sophia across the water. Food report: The girls devoured their omelets and the grown ups were delighted with the brunch salads. The restaurant is open everyday from 10:00 a.m. to midnight. NOTE: the museum is closed on Mondays and free to Turkish citizens on Thursdays.
Istanbul Museum of Modern Art
Meclis-i Mebusan Cad.
Liman Isletmeleri Sahası Antrepo No:4
34433 Karakoy – Istanbul
www.istanbulmodern.org
From there, it was time to pack up and head to the next leg of the adventure. Lucky us, we got to have dinner at the Istanbul Turkish Airlines Lounge. Here’s a quick shot of the girls heading to the lounge–bear backpacks courtesy of The Kempinski Ciragan.
Did I mention that 3 of our 8 flights (50+ hours of flight time over 3 weeks) are business class? I know it’s not the budget play, but these flights have kept me sane. We cashed in a slew of miles for the tickets (because that’s what they are there for). I really lobbied hard with Mr. Momtrends for the seat upgrades from coach. having the space to spread out and quality food matters to me. The Turkish Airways team is amazing and this lounge had to be one of the most sublime airport experiences I’ve ever had. Check it out.
And then 11 hours in the sky to Singapore! Next post from Universal Studios Singapore.
We were given free entry to the museum