It is intended that the museum will move to new premises in one of the abandoned warehouses on the shores of the Golden Horn as part of the Tersane Istanbul/Haliçport project.

The original building, constructed of wood and lathe-and-plaster on a masonry foundation, consists of three storeys plus an attic; its architecture was inspired by European vernacular traditions.

In 1983, the Vehbi Koç Foundation purchased the Hüseyin Kocabaş collection for the Sadberk Hanım Museum and bought a semi-dilapidated adjacent yalı to house these new acquisitions.

The facade of this second yali, which is thought to have been constructed in the early part of this century, was faithfully reconstructed according to the original by İbrahim Yalçın, and the work took two years to complete.

It opened on October 24, 1988, and was immediately awarded the Europa Nostra prize as an outstanding example of modern museum architecture and design.

The building has three storeys at the front and four at the back, including the ground floor on which are located a multi-purpose hall and conservation laboratory.