Why the Camera Museum in Bakırköy Is Worth Visiting
- Martin
- 16 hours ago
- 5 min read
A student of mine at the university suggested I go and visit the Camera Museum in Bakırköy. A few days later, curiosity got the better of me, and I jumped on the Marmaray to find out what a camera museum was really all about. It turned out to be much more than just a museum visit.
Don’t forget to explore the interactive 360° photos at the bottom of this article and experience the museum for yourself.
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Bakırköy has never really been part of my Istanbul. Before the Marmaray opened, I’d only been here once or twice to visit a Danish friend who lived in the neighbourhood. When she moved back to Denmark, so did my connection to this part of the city.
That changed after a visit to the historic Baruthane the previous week. The experience made me realise there was probably much more of Bakırköy waiting to be discovered.
Then a student of mine at the university suggested I visit the Camera Museum, I was intrigued. I often ask my students for recommendations beyond Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque or Topkapı Palace. Most suggestions are fairly predictable. A camera museum wasn’t.
So, one Friday morning, I jumped on the Marmaray to find out for myself.
The plan was simple: visit the museum, walk down to Sahil - Bakırköy’s waterfront promenade along the Sea of Marmara - and then wander back through the neighbourhood before catching the train home.
Before leaving, I’d checked the museum’s website and had a quick look on Google, but I still wasn’t quite sure what I was about to see.
The walk through Bakırköy only made me more curious about the neighbourhood. Baruthane had already left a good impression the week before, and now I found myself noticing cafés, quiet side streets and little independent shops that made me want to come back. I almost wished I hadn’t made plans later that afternoon because I could easily have spent another couple of hours simply walking around.
The museum is housed in a beautiful old building that once served as a school for children with special needs. From the moment I stepped inside, it felt welcoming. The lighting was pleasant, the exhibitions were thoughtfully arranged, and everything encouraged visitors to slow down rather than rush from one display case to the next.
To be honest, I’d expected something much more technical - lots of cameras, a bit of history and plenty of model numbers.
Instead, I found an exhibition that tells the story of photography over several floors. The displays follow the development of cameras through the decades, while the basement takes visitors into the world of darkrooms and the process that once transformed a roll of film into a photograph.
Back in the darkroom
Photography was one of my elective subjects at school. I hadn’t thought about photographic paper, enlargers or developing chemicals for years, but suddenly it was all there again. Within minutes, I was back in the darkroom with my classmates, waiting for an image to slowly appear on a blank sheet of paper.
The museum constantly moves between opposites. Some of the large wooden cameras look more like elegant pieces of furniture than cameras, while the tiny spy cameras fascinated me for exactly the opposite reason. More than once I leaned in for a closer look, wondering how anyone had managed to squeeze so much technology into something so incredibly small.
Then one display case caught me completely off guard.
Inside was an old Kodak gift set.
In an instant, I was back at my confirmation party, standing in front of a table covered with presents. Funny how a single object can unlock memories you haven’t thought about for decades. Let’s just say it was back when cameras came with film instead of memory cards.
While the cameras are the stars of the museum, they never stand alone. Historic photographs are displayed alongside works by contemporary photographers, showing both the history of photography and where the medium is today. The accompanying texts provide just enough context without becoming overwhelming, and the building itself adds another layer to the experience.
When I finally checked my watch, I’d spent almost an hour inside the museum without even noticing the time. Considering I don’t even consider myself a camera enthusiast, that caught me completely by surprise. Every time I thought I’d seen everything, another room, another display or another story pulled me further in.
At one point I couldn’t resist placing my own DJI camera next to one of the historic cameras and taking a photo. Seeing more than a century of camera development sitting side by side on the same table made me smile.
The museum is also easy to enjoy if you don’t speak Turkish. The information panels are available in both Turkish and English, and several QR codes let me explore the stories behind the exhibits in even greater detail. I particularly liked that because, right in the middle of an exhibition about the history of cameras, I was using the camera most of us carry around with us every single day.
During my visit, I got chatting with the museum’s owner. It didn’t take him long to work out what interested me, and every now and then he’d point towards another display case and say, “Take a look at this one.” Every single recommendation was worth it.
Before I left, he also showed me the museum’s small collection of souvenirs. It didn’t feel like someone trying to sell me something. It felt like someone proudly sharing a place he’d poured his heart into.
Finishing the Day by the Sea
Admission is just 200 Turkish lira, which I think is excellent value. I could easily see myself coming back in a few months - not because the exhibitions will have changed, but because I have a feeling I’d notice details I missed the first time around.
After leaving the museum, I bought a bag of fresh cherries from a local greengrocer and walked down to Sahil. Sitting beside the Sea of Marmara for a while seemed like the perfect way to round off the afternoon before making my way back to the Marmaray station.
I came to Bakırköy because of the Camera Museum.
I left wanting to explore much more of the neighbourhood.
And the lunch I never got around to having has given me the perfect excuse to come back.
Explore the Museum in 360°
Photographs only tell part of the story. The interactive 360° photos below let you step inside the museum and explore the exhibitions at your own pace. Use your finger, mouse or mobile to look around...
Practical: Opening hours: 10-17 Tuesday to Sunday Ticket: 200 TL (July 2026) kameramuzesi.com
