Ancient Orient Museum is part of the Archaeological Museum, which after repairs and alterations (1917-1919 G. G. and 1932-1935 gg) entered into its composition in 1935. The building was built to accommodate organized (1883) by Osman Hamdi Bey School of fine arts at the Imperial Museum.

In the Museum of the Ancient Orient presents a particularly rich collection of artifacts and archaeological finds from all regions of the Middle East that had previously belonged to the Ottoman Empire, and once belonged to the early civilizations – Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Egypt and the Arab continent. Here were exhibited the pre-Islamic idols and deities, ancient Aramaic inscriptions and a small collection of Egyptian antiquities that was brought in from the inner courtyard of the temple of al-Ula.

The last renovation occurred here between 1963 and 1974, and, after this new Museum with new layout reopened its doors to visitors. Here you can admire the objects of material and spiritual culture of such a mighty and ancient States as Babylon, Assyria and Egypt. The exposure of one of the halls fully reflects the culture and life of the state of Urartu, located in North-East Anatolia. This is another mysterious power, disappeared in the thirteenth century BC It was inhabited by the Hittites. The most interesting exhibits in the Museum is recognized as the statues of the kings of Gudea from Lagash, Hammurapi from Babylon, Salmanzar III, and, of course, faience relief, which was adorned with the Sacred way leading to the Ishtar gate in Babylon. It dates from a time period from VII to VI century BC

The Museum featured an exhibition entitled "Istanbul Through the ages" - a rich and well-preserved the exhibition was in 1993 awarded the prize of the Council of Europe. The exhibition also presents the XIV century bell from the Tower of Galata, and part of serpentine Columns Racecourse – restored the head of the snake. On the two lower exposure levels were exhibits dedicated to the centuries-long evolution of Anatolia and Troy. Presented and sculpture from Palestine, Cyprus and Syria.

Ancient Orient Museum is located to the left of the gate at the entrance to the complex. Everything in it is dedicated to the most ancient cultures. Someone who is just starting to get acquainted with the ancient culture of the Arab East, will be very interesting to see how dramatically different the artifacts of these civilizations samples from other cultures-Hellenic and Roman. The most precious heritage of the Byzantine era are the remains of the gate of Ishtar, also located in the Museum of the Ancient Orient. Mosaic reliefs these gates cannot fail to be impressed by its realism. They depict lions, bulls and cirrosi - dragons with snake heads. They were built under king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Such a rich collection of Ishtar-reliefs anywhere else in the world.

In the Museum you can still see the Obelisk Adad-Nirari Third with cuneiform inscriptions. The oldest exhibits date back to the XIII century BC these include the Sphinx gate with Arcae in Hattusas and truly the gem of the collection – 2 of 3 known clay tablets of ancient peace Treaty (Treaty of Kadesh, which was signed between Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II and Hittite king Hattusili III in the thirteenth century BC

Say, Osman Hamdi Bey was donated for the construction of the Museum, its annual earnings. Then, in 1884, was a ban on the export of archaeological sites abroad with a new provision included in the law on the relics.