Salt Galata

Yeweng Wong★★★★★★★★★★5.02 months ago

Great space if you want to get away to read, write your journal or paint and draw. The library has plenty of seating, modern and clean. There’s free WiFi for 2 hours. There’s a bookstore,a restaurant and a cafe too.

Vladyslava★★★★★★★★★★4.04 months ago

The place is clean and spacious. The library looks like a convenient place to work from. And it’s free. But there was only one exhibition, I expected more.

Thomas Defise★★★★★★★★★★1.03 months ago

Tips: • Time: 15 minutes (unless there’s a major exhibition). • Make sure to check current exhibitions before visiting—it heavily depends on what’s on !!! SALT Galata is often described as an art center or gallery in Istanbul, but during our visit, it felt more like an Instagram-driven spot than a true exhibition space. We were expecting to see more substantial art displays, but found only a very limited setup. At the -1 floor, you can find the Ottoman Bank Museum, which presents the history of the former Ottoman Bank. However, at the time of our visit, it was also quite minimal, with only a small display covering the bank’s history. Unless there’s a specific exhibition, it may not live up to expectations.

Sovereign★★★★★★★★★★5.02 months ago

We stopped by because we got no idea what more places to visit, the building is pretty that's for sure. Hence why we saw many youth taking pictures inside and they came prepared with style. When we visit there was a small exhibition. I'm not sure what it was about as I cannot speak Turkish but I watched a short video of the day Ataturk passed away in his residence there.

O Okan★★★★★★★★★★5.0a year ago

SALT Galata is part of the larger architectural conversion project, SALT, which aimed to renovate and repurpose two 19th-century buildings in the same neighborhood. This specific building was designed by French Ottoman architect Alexandre Vallaury as the headquarters of the Osmanlı Bank, with the conversion to its present state carried out by Han Tümertekin. Today, SALT Galata is a multifunctional space that houses a public specialty library, a restricted archival research area, and an auditorium for various architecture/art-related activities such as talks, seminars, and screenings. The library has a good selection of periodicals on architecture and contemporary art. It also has a rare book selection in private space. Additionally, it is home to a smaller branch of the renowned Robinson Crusoe 389 bookstore (with the main branch located in SALT Beyoğlu. Robinson Crusoe used to be a beautiful bookstore on the famous İstiklal Avenue (389 was the door number), but it had to close back in 2014. It no longer sells mainly English titles) and Neolokal, a One Michelin-starred restaurant that only serves customers after hours. I believe it is a unique space where people can relax and recharge both their minds and souls. There is no admission fee and it offers great views toward Haliç and the historic peninsula. Most tourist itineraries overlook it, which can be seen as both a blessing and a curse, depending on your perspective.