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V&A to Showcase Istanbul’s Byzantine and Ottoman Heritage in London
The Victoria and Albert Museum is preparing a comprehensive exhibition that tells Istanbul’s history through the Byzantine and Ottoman eras. The exhibition, opening on November 7, 2026, will feature over 200 artifacts.
The Victoria and Albert Museum is preparing a major exhibition that narrates Istanbul’s history through the Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Titled "Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires," the exhibition will open on November 7, 2026, and run until May 9, 2027.
The museum describes this exhibition as the first comprehensive study in the UK to cover Istanbul’s 1600-year story. The exhibition will bring together more than 200 objects, including loans from institutions in Turkey.
Over 200 Artifacts on Display
The display will include ceramic tiles, mosaics, tableware, metalwork, and jewelry. A significant portion of the pieces will be loaned from Turkish institutions such as the Topkapı Palace Museum.
A V&A spokesperson stated that this will be the first UK exhibition to present the city’s 1600-year history as the Byzantine and Ottoman capital under one roof. The statement emphasized that the exhibition will focus on the art and cultural heritage that shaped this period.
Koç Group Becomes Main Sponsor
Turkey’s largest industrial group, Koç Group, has taken on the main sponsorship of the exhibition. The text highlights that the Koç family is among the country’s leading supporters of the arts.
It was noted that Ömer Koç, a grandson of Vehbi Koç, the founder of Koç Holding, collects antique and contemporary art. The information also shared that Arter is supported by the Vehbi Koç Foundation and that Koç Group is among the main sponsors of the Istanbul Biennial.
Exhibition Organized in Four Sections
The exhibition will be presented in four sections at the main museum building in South Kensington. The first section, "Grand Beginnings," will explore the city’s origins during the Roman period.
This section will feature architectural fragments from early palaces and churches, cameos made from semi-precious stones, ivory carvings, and Western manuscripts depicting the city just before and after the 1453 conquest.
The second section, "Heaven on Earth," will focus on places of worship and examine the development of Hagia Sophia. The exhibition text notes that the building was constructed in the sixth century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian and was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest.
The third section, titled "Power and Reach," will investigate how the Ottoman palace displayed its authority through visual splendor during times of peace and war. The final section, "Life in the City," will extend into the 19th century, highlighting Istanbul’s cosmopolitan nature with its diverse languages, beliefs, and artistic traditions.
A Rare Manuscript to Be Exhibited for the First Time
One of the standout loaned items is the Lincoln Typikon from Lincoln College in Oxford. This 14th-century illuminated manuscript from the Virgin of Sure Hope Monastery will be publicly displayed for the first time in six decades.
The exhibition is curated by senior curator Tim Stanley and project curator Bella Radenovic. Through this project, the museum aims to present Istanbul’s history in detail through art and architecture.
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