We will talk about the most interesting places in Istanbul that you can visit with your children. The review will include both important historical monuments and entertainment of various subjects so that vacationers can compose a vacation to their taste and gain unforgettable impressions about a trip to Istanbul with children.
What to see and how to plan the route of your trip, combining entertainment events to your taste and cultural and historical excursions, read this article.
- Istanbul Archaeological Museum
The historical museum complex includes several buildings, including a tiled pavilion built under Sultan Mehmet II the Conqueror in 1472. On the territory of the museum, more than a million historical exhibits of various civilizations are collected so that visitors to the museum can fully get acquainted with the unique history.
- Polytechnic Museum
After visiting Istanbul, it is worth visiting the Rahmi M. Koc Museum, which opened in 1994. The exhibition and exhibits of the museum will be interesting to almost everyone, here fans of all types of transport, equipment, and other iron will like it.
It consists of three parts: the main (anchor) building, the historic shipyard, and the open area. The main building was built in 1703-1730 on an old Byzantine building of the 12th century, has been restored, and there are visiting exhibitions.
A shipyard is also a historical place. There was an industrial shipyard on its territory for the repair of ships, now all 14 historical buildings have been restored, the equipment has been repaired, and the free space is used as an exhibition of large-sized machinery and equipment.
- Istanbul Toy Museum
History can also be explored with toys. If this approach is interesting to you, then the Istanbul Toy Museum is your main find. The museum was opened in 2005 by Sunay Akin. The museum’s exhibition consists of exhibits collected from all over the world; toys are presented as samples of the 18th century and modern models.
- Miniaturk
On the shore of the Golden Horn in the Sutluce district, there is a miniature park. There is no need to visit city after city to explore the geography and sights of Anatolia. It is enough to visit Miniaturk: on the territory of 60 thousand square meters, there are small copies of historical sights of Anatolia and other places of the Ottoman Empire.
According to the originals, 150 smaller copies were built on a scale of 1 to 25; among them, you can see Anitkabir, Dolmabahce Palace, Hagia Sophia.
In addition, there are performances, live performances in the exhibition areas, and shops where you can indulge in shopping.
- Istanbul Aquarium
For anyone interested in the underwater world, this aquarium will be a wonderful find: 17 themed areas show underwater landscapes, including the coast of Turkey.
You can also explore the underwater world through interactive games, watch movies, and visit exhibitions showing a variety of underwater areas, not only the Black Sea but also other seas and oceans and go down into the underwater rainforest.
And for fans of extreme sports, there are more fun activities: diving with sharks, a hurricane simulator, and helicopter excursions.
- Legoland
It will be interesting for children aged 3 to 10 years. Adults without children will not be allowed here, and adults can only visit Legoland if accompanied by a child under 14 years of age. The Lego theme park features 15 playgrounds.
There are areas where you can build a Lego constructor; for older children, entertainment with trampolines, slides, ropes, and the Lego Racers zone, where you can build a racing car and test it.
Do not forget the section “take a brick,” where you can buy parts of the designer in grams.
- Snowpark
The park is located in the Torium shopping center in the Esenyurt district. Throughout the year, you can ride almost all winter equipment: skis, snowboards, snow tubing, etc. To freeze, visitors are provided with warm clothing, shoes, and gloves to fit.
- Madame Tussauds
A branch of the famous wax museum opened in Istanbul in 2016. For visitors of all ages, wax replicas of famous people are presented, for example, Baris Manco, Bruce Willis, Zeki Muren, Leonardo DiCaprio, Neymar, and even Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Each exhibit is a replica created over a long time and valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars.
- Baris Manco Museum
The museum is dedicated to the famous Turkish rock star Baris Manco. He was a rock musician and a presenter on television, and his fame went beyond the borders of his homeland.
The museum is located on Moda Street, in the house where the musician lived until 1999. The furniture and objects where Manco lived have been preserved, and his car is still standing in the courtyard of the house, waiting for its owner.
- KidZania
The list of “what to see in Istanbul with children” will continue with the KidZania theme Park, which differs from its competitors in its goal. On the territory of 8 thousand sq. m. there are entertainment facilities designed to foster children’s interest in professions.
The theme park does not exist in general for the entertainment of children but for activities that foster responsibility, awareness through joint games with peers under the supervision of experienced mentors.
- Ataturk Arboretum
For nature lovers and naturalists, a visit to the arboretum will be a must. It is part of the Belgrade Forest.
For visitors, guided tours and educational lectures are held. You can learn how to determine the age of trees and get acquainted with household items, tools, and the everyday life of an ordinary Turkish villager.
At the entrance to the arboretum, there is a map showing all the areas of the arboretum.
- SEA LIFE Istanbul
Another aquarium in Istanbul, which is as spectacular as the aquarium in Florya. The pride of the aquarium “Sea Life” is the impressive length of the tunnel located under the aquarium. Over the heads of visitors swim sharks, stingrays, octopuses, and other marine life, of which there are more than 10 thousand.
The aquarium is divided into several zones, where you can find penguins, jellyfish, imitation of the underwater life of Florya, etc. There is also exclusive entertainment: shark feeding shows, seal breakfast, etc.
