Clock Museum opens at Topkapı Palace

ISTANBUL

The National Palaces Directorate opened the new Clock Museum inside Topkapı Palace’s Imperial Stables, showcasing more than 300 restored timepieces from one of the world’s most distinguished clock collections.

The museum was inaugurated with a ceremony attended by first lady Emine Erdoğan, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and National Palaces President Dr. Yasin Yıldız, along with many figures from Türkiye’s cultural and artistic circles.

Speaking at the opening, Yıldız said, “Our collection consists of 380 pieces, and 300 of them, all carefully restored, are now being presented to the public for the first time.”

The museum occupies the restored İmrahor Room, once used by palace staff responsible for caring for the sultan’s horses. The space was converted into exhibition halls through detailed restoration work.

Yıldız also announced that several new museums will open within a few months in the Darphane-i Amire (Imperial Mint) area of the palace, including porcelain, weaponry, calligraphy and industrial arts museums that will collectively feature more than 10,000 movable artifacts.

The palace’s seaside Gülhane Gardens will also open to visitors next year as part of a larger cultural complex.

Yıldız said the Topkapı Palace clock collection includes both specially commissioned pieces and gifts presented to the Ottoman court from across Europe. “During the 15th to 17th centuries, clocks from the world’s most important centers arrived here. Some of the pieces in this collection are unique worldwide,” he said.

Highlights include an ornate pendule made for Sultan Mahmud II by order of French Emperor Napoleon, one of only seven in existence, distinct for its Istanbul landscapes and accompanying pocket watch. The collection also features rare clocks obtained through diplomatic exchanges during Sultan Abdülhamid II’s reign and exquisite creations by renowned French and British clockmakers.

The museum’s exhibits are organized thematically into sections such as Turkish Clocks, Longcase Clocks, Wall Clocks, Pocket Watches, Table Clocks, Decorative Clocks, Measuring Instruments and Repair Tools. A special gallery dedicated to Ottoman masters displays their works together for the first time.

The Topkapı Palace Clock Museum is open to visitors from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Tuesdays.