Istanbul Modern Turns 20!

Istanbul Modern is celebrating its 20th anniversary on December 11, 2024. Since its foundation, the museum has welcomed 10 million visitors and provided free art education to more than 1 million children and young adults. Istanbul Modern’s 20th anniversary is marked by record visitor numbers and prestigious awards.

During its first 20 years, Istanbul Modern organized 9 collection exhibitions, 84 temporary exhibitions, and 45 photography exhibitions in Türkiye, as well as 17 exhibitions abroad. Over one million children and young adults engaged with art through more than 1000 free education programs. Istanbul Modern hosted 3,500 diverse events and Istanbul Modern Cinema screened nearly 4,000 films.

An innovative and multifaceted museum experience

“We are overjoyed to realize our dream of an art museum attracting long lines of visitors and bearing the signature of a world-renowned architect. For 20 years, our museum has showcased unique works of art that reveal Türkiye’s multiculturalism and universal values. Our mission is to expand our audience every year by offering an innovative and multifaceted museum experience. We firmly believe our 20-year-young museum will continue to contribute to the future with its dynamism and innovation,” said Oya Eczacıbaşı, Chair of the Board of Istanbul Modern.

20th-anniversary exhibitions and record-breaking visitor numbers

Istanbul Modern's 20th-anniversary exhibitions have attracted a record number of visitors. The museum began the year with “Timeless Curiosities,” an exhibition of work by young artists, and is ending it with an exhibition organized especially for its 20th anniversary: “Your unexpected encounter” by Olafur Eliasson, one of the most important artists of this century. Istanbul Modern Photography Gallery’s first exhibition this year was “The Photographer's Testimony,” featuring works by veteran photographer Ozan Sağdıç. Its final exhibition is “Journey of Colors,” showcasing works by masterful photographer İzzet Keribar. The museum is also hosting a special installation by renowned Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota entitled “Between Worlds,” organized on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Türkiye-Japan relations.  One million people visited Istanbul Modern in 2024, the highest number of its first 20 years.

Areas designated for education

To date, Istanbul Modern has provided free art education to nearly one million children and young adults, and its new museum building further advances this endeavor with areas designated for education. These include the Discovery Space, inspired by the works of artists in the museum's collection, Eco Art Lab, which offers nature and recycling-themed workshops, and Stüdyo STEAM, an interdisciplinary learning space that engages young people and adults with art through science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.

428 programs, nearly 4,000 film screenings

Istanbul Modern Cinema, the first museum cinema in Türkiye, has organized 428 programs and screened nearly 4000 films over the past 20 years. In addition to exhibition-themed programs, Istanbul Modern Cinema organizes screenings of classic and contemporary films and talks on the history of cinema and contemporary film culture.

46 awards

Istanbul Modern has received 46 national and international awards since its founding in 2004. In the past year alone, Istanbul Modern appeared on Architectural Digest’s 2024 “Works of Wonder” list and National Geographic’s “Best of the World” list of cultural hot spots. The museum won ArchDaily's “Building of the Year” award in the cultural architecture category and first prize in the “Completed Buildings - Culture” category at the World Architecture Festival (WAF). It was also included in the “Best of the Best” list in the Architecture MasterPrize award program.

Most recently, Istanbul Modern received the Outstanding Museum Practice Award from the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art (CIMAM) for its education program “Following a Dream,” which promotes gender equality.

A special 20th-anniversary book: A Museum Story: Istanbul Modern

To commemorate its 20th anniversary, Istanbul Modern has published a special book documenting its founding story and subsequent journey. Titled Bir Müze Hikâyesi İstanbul Modern [A Museum Story: Istanbul Modern], the book recounts the long and challenging process of Istanbul Modern's establishment, its transformative impact on modern and contemporary art in Türkiye, and its contributions to the world of culture and arts. Enriched by the narratives of 45 people, from founders to artists, curators, and museum staff, the book also sheds light on the museum's collective memory. The book is currently only available in Turkish, but will soon be published in English.