The Istanbul University Science Faculty Hydrobiology Museum's (IUSHM) fish collection was assembled by Dr. Muzaffer Demir in 1967 from specimens held for educational purposes and to form the basis of a museum collection. Many of the specimens come from numerous scientific voyages by Dr. M. Demir on the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas in 1968 and 1969, complemented by various researchers in subsequent years. Establishment of the museum collection was accomplished by Dr. Nurettin Meriç in 1989.

The IUSHM now possesses the largest and best maintained marine fish collection in Turkey, with 2416 specimens belonging to 346 species. The specimens have been obtained from the following locations: Turkish Seas (266), Black Sea (12), Sea of Marmara (96), Aegean Sea (132), Mediterranean Sea (133), and inland waters (94).

Furthermore there are many ichthyoplankton and marine benthic invertebrate samples were collected from Turkish seas.

Besides there are a big gastropods and bivalve collection in our museum from the world's ocean. This collection has been donated by wife of deceased lawyer İsmet Tümtürk.  The collection contains more than 5000 samples consist of approximately 2,500 species.