Istanbul Modern to move to temporary venue in Beyoğlu

ISTANBUL

A temporary venue has been determined for Turkey’s first modern and contemporary museum, the Istanbul Modern. The museum will move to the temporary venue to continue activities until the construction of its new building is finished.

The museum will be open at its current location in Karaköy until March 18 and will move to the Union Française building in Beyoğlu afterwards. 

It has served at its current address at Antrepo No: 4, Karaköy, with its exhibition halls, photography gallery, education and social programs, library, cinema, restaurant and museum store. 

Its temporary location at the Union Française building is located on Beyoğlu’s Meşrutiyet Avenue. All museum activities will take place there for a limited period of time. 

The Union Française building was built in 1896 by Alexandre Vallaury and is now preparing to host the museum and will open in May. 

The new Istanbul Modern building will be constructed by the world famous architecture office, the Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW). 

Renzo Piano, who holds the Pritzker Prize, the most prestigious prize in architecture, will launch the new project for Istanbul Modern sometime this year. 

The new building, which will be constructed within the scope of the Galataport project, is set to be finished within 36 months in collaboration with Eczacıbaşı Group, the founding sponsor of the museum, and Doğuş Group-Bilgili Holding. 

Aside from the famous contemporary museum in Paris, Centre Pompidou, Renzo Piano has designed many museums and art centers, including the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, Beyeler Foundation Museum in Switzerland and Centro Botin in Spain. 

He has also designed the Shard building in London, which is known as the tallest building in Europe.

Istanbul Modern 

Established on Dec. 11, 2004, the Istanbul Modern has served guests with the support of the local administration, as well as the collaboration of the public and private sector. The museum has succeeded in becoming a world known art center in 14 years. 

The museum has received more than 7 million visitors since it opened and more than 750,000 children and young people have had the chance to learn about art through the museum’s free education programs.