KUALA LUMPUR, 10 JUNE 2025 – The Night Museums Project, which allows visitors to explore Türkiye’s cultural landmarks at night, will kick off its new season in June. The project, launched by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism last year, drew enormous interest and attracted more than 395,000 visitors to Türkiye’s most important cultural heritage sites, including İzmir’s Ephesus and Denizli’s Hierapolis (Pamukkale). This summer, with the continuation of the project, 25 sites across the country will be illuminated and open late into the night.
The initiative turns cultural sites into vibrant evening attractions, encouraging travellers to explore more. It also supports sustainable tourism by distributing visitor traffic throughout the day, aligning with Türkiye’s broader vision of extending tourism to 81 cities and 12 months. Building on its success, the project now expands to 25 locations, including İstanbul’s Galata Tower, Cappadocia’s important archaeological sites and underground cities, and many other breathtaking historical places across Türkiye.
Extended Hours at Iconic Museums in İstanbul and Ankara
As part of the Night Museums Project, extended evening hours will be available at key cultural landmarks in İstanbul and Ankara, Türkiye’s two cultural powerhouses. In İstanbul, the Archaeological Museums (excluding closed areas), the Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum, and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts will remain open until 10 p.m. Meanwhile, the Galata Tower can be explored until 11 p.m. In the Turkish capital, Ankara, two of the Republic’s earliest museums will also welcome night visitors. The Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, home to remarkable artefacts from the Hittites, Urartians, Phrygians, and many others, and the Ethnography Museum, Atatürk’s first resting place, will be open until 9 p.m.
Timeless Heritage along the Aegean and the Turkish Riviera
Türkiye’s turquoise Aegean coast and the sun-soaked Turkish Riviera also prepare to enchant visitors after sunset. In İzmir, renowned for its high quality of life and Aegean cuisine, two cultural gems, Ephesus flourished during the Roman era, and the Culture and Arts Factory will offer evening access. Ephesus will stay open until 11 p.m. from Wednesdays through Saturdays. The Culture and Arts Factory, restored from the 140-year-old Alsancak Tekel Factory, an essential element of İzmir’s industrial heritage, will remain open until 9 p.m.
The Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology in Muğla will welcome visitors until 10 p.m., and Hierapolis Ancient City in Denizli can be visited until 11 p.m. in the region. Regarding Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast, night visits will also be available in Antalya. The Antalya Museum, Alanya Museum, Necropolis Museum, and Aspendos, Patara, and Side Archaeological Sites will stay open until 10 p.m.
Illuminating the Past Across Anatolia
Many other historic treasures across Türkiye will also extend their opening hours. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mount Nemrut in Adıyaman, famous for the colossal statues erected by King Antiochus I of Commagene, will be illuminated and open between 4 and 9 a.m. for sunrise visits. In Nevşehir, home to much of the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia, the Underground Cities of Derinkuyu, Kaymaklı and Özkonak will offer night access until 9 p.m.
Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa, two important cities in southeastern Anatolia, will also open the doors of their iconic museums at night. The Gaziantep Zeugma Mosaic Museum, displaying stunning mosaics from the ancient city of Zeugma as well as Roman-era sculptures, will welcome visitors until 9 p.m. in Gaziantep, Türkiye’s culinary capital and a UNESCO Creative City in gastronomy. Şanlıurfa, on the other hand, which is home to the world’s oldest Neolithic sites, including Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe, also boasts two impressive museums open until 9 p.m.: the Şanlıurfa Museum, Türkiye’s largest in terms of exhibition space and one of the world’s most expansive, with over 10,000 artefacts on a 4.5-kilometre route, and the Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum, Türkiye’s largest column-free structure. The newly reopened Samsun Museum, housing artefacts from the Chalcolithic, Early Bronze, Hittite, Hellenistic, and Roman periods, will be open until 10 p.m. in the Black Sea region. As a part of the Night Museums Project, the Erzurum Museum in eastern Türkiye will extend its hours and stay open until 9 p.m.
