Description
The Istanbul Modern Art Museum, or simply Istanbul Modern, is a modern art museum established in 2004 in the Karaköy district of Istanbul.
It is the first museum of modern and contemporary art in Turkey. Located between Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University and the Tophane-i Amire Cultural and Arts Center, Istanbul Modern was founded by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV) under the leadership of the Eczacıbaşı family, opening to visitors on December 11, 2004, in a converted warehouse building numbered 4. In 2018, due to reconstruction, the building was moved to a new location in Beyoğlu. In 2022, the venue in Beyoğlu was closed, and a new museum building was constructed at its old location, reopening to visitors on May 4, 2023. The museum collection includes modern art works in various disciplines such as painting, sculpture, photography, design, architecture, and new media.
History: The museum came into service by transforming warehouse number 4 into an 8,000-square-meter area, hosting the 8th Istanbul Biennial in 2003. After the biennial, a decision was made to convert the building into a museum, and it was requested to be completed by December 17, a date that coincided with Turkey's negotiations for EU membership. Istanbul Modern opened to visitors on December 11, 2004, in a building transformed by the architectural engineer Tabanlıoğlu.
The rebuilding of the building as part of the Galataport project took place between 2018 and 2022. During this period, the museum continued its activities in the old French Cultural Center building in Beyoğlu.
The new museum building, designed by the architect Renzo Piano's Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), was constructed on the site of the old building. The museum moved to its new building in 2022, and it was reopened to visitors on May 4, 2023.
