Galatasaray sports club Museum, Istanbul

There are more than a hundred museums in Istanbul. There are museums devoted to different eras and people, new and old museums... But this one is unique. It is a museum of... Galatasaray football club. This is not surprising. After all, they have a real cult of football in Turkey. If a Turk is not a football fan, he is not a Turk. Galatasaray is one of the best and most famous football clubs in Turkey.

You will find many wonderful exhibits in the museum. You will find out that Galatasaray was founded in 1905, more than a hundred years ago. Of course, it was not a giant of football industry like today, but just an unpretentious small club. During the century of games the club became the champion of Turkey for 16 times, and in 2000 won the UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup. All this led to the fact that in 2001 Galatasaray was named the best football club in the world. For the current champion of Turkey it is a merited award.

Galatasaray stadium is located in Istanbul, near the Bosphorus Strait. The club’s stadium is one of the best in Europe, as you will certainly find out in this football museum. Generally, Galatasaray is unique with the fact this team had won the UEFA Cup without a single defeat in the tournament. The club also holds the world record for longest winning series at football home matches (since May 13, 2001 to December 8, 2002 the team has won 24 matches in a row on their home field).

Galatasaray Museum is the first sports museum in Turkey. It was opened in 1913 in the city port. Later the museum moved to Galatasaray Lyceum. Here you will see the club’s medals and cups, archive of historical documents and photographs including autographs of Turkish and foreign public figures, honorary decorations and t-shirts.

In addition you will see swords and guns of 200 students-volunteers of the Lyceum, who fought during the First World War. But the most important museum exhibit is UEFA Cup won by Galatasaray team in 2000.

The museum is open daily except Monday, from 10:00 to 16:00. Free admission.