Night Museum program draws over 1 million visitors last year

ANKARA

Türkiye’s popular Night Museum initiative is gearing up for a comeback after drawing more than 1 million after-hours visitors to the country’s historic sites in 2025, according to Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.

According to the ministry, the program will once again provide evening access to some of Türkiye’s most important cultural landmarks between June 1 and Oct. 1, allowing visitors to experience heritage sites in a unique nighttime setting.

This year, the initiative will cover 20 venues — 11 museums and nine archaeological sites.

Müzekart (Museum Pass) holders with a Turkish national identification number can visit participating sites after 7 p.m. for an additional fee of 200 Turkish liras. Featured locations include the UNESCO-listed Nemrut site; the ancient cities of Ephesus, Side, Hierapolis, Patara and Aspendos; and major museums such as the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, Istanbul Archaeological Museums, Galata Tower and the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum.

Other participating venues include the Lycian Civilizations Museum, the Temple of Apollo in Didim, Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery, the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, Marmaris Museum, Derinkuyu Underground City, Şanlıurfa Museum and the Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum.

Launched in 2024, the Night Museum program began at Ephesus, Hierapolis and Side, attracting 395,212 visitors in its first year. It was later expanded to additional destinations with strong tourism demand.

Announcing the new season on social media, Ersoy said the ministry would continue making cultural heritage “accessible at every hour of the day.” He noted that the program welcomed more than one million visitors last year and invited travelers to explore Türkiye’s historical treasures after dark.

“From Nemrut to Ephesus, from Side to Zeugma, and from Galata Tower to the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, we will once again offer visitors an unforgettable experience along our cultural routes,” Ersoy said.