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The Culture and Tourism Ministry has announced the return of its night museum initiative under which visitors can explore numerous museums and archaeological sites across Türkiye after dark.
Starting from June 1 and running through Oct. 1, the program covers 20 ministry-managed locations for the current season, allowing local and foreign tourists to explore cultural heritage sites during evening hours.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy shared the update on his social media account, highlighting the launch of the new season and emphasizing the ministry's ongoing goal to keep cultural heritage alive at all hours.
Noting that 20 selected sites will host visitors under the unique ambiance of the night from June 1 to Oct. 1, Ersoy stated:
"Last year, we hosted over 1 million visitors through our night museum initiative. We are set to provide another unforgettable experience along our cultural routes stretching from Nemrut to Ephesus, Side to Zeugma, and Galata Tower to the Istanbul Archaeology Museums.
"We invite all guests who want to experience Türkiye’s rich cultural heritage under the special atmosphere of the night to visit our museums and historical sites."
Under the new guidelines, visitors holding a valid Turkish National ID and a "Muzekart" (Museum Pass) can access the designated sites from 07:00 p.m. until their scheduled closing times for an additional fee of 200 TL.
The initiative will be active at the Nemrut Archaeological site, the Anatolian Civilizations Museum, the Alanya Museum, the Aspendos Archaeological site, the Patara Archaeological site, the Museum of Lycian Civilizations, the Side Archaeological Site, the Didyma Temple of Apollo, the Hierapolis Archaeological site, the Gaziantep Zeugma Mosaic Museum, the Istanbul Archaeology Museums, the Galata Tower, the Istanbul Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, the Ephesus Archaeological site, the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, the Marmaris Museum, the Derinkuyu Underground City, the Sanliurfa Museum, and the Haleplibahce Mosaic Museum.
The Ahlat Seljuk Cemetery Archaeological site is also included in the program and will remain open to visitors free of charge.
Launched in 2024, the night museum initiative aims to protect and pass down Türkiye’s cultural legacy to future generations while boosting its tourism potential by opening historical venues in the evening.
The initiative was initially launched at the Ephesus, Hierapolis, and Side archaeological sites, drawing 395,212 visitors in 2024. Following its initial success, the program expanded last year to high-demand museums and archaeological sites nationwide.
Key evening destinations last year included Nemrut, Ephesus, Side, Hierapolis, Patara, Aspendos, the Galata Tower, the Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum, the Istanbul Archaeology Museums, the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, the Derinkuyu and Kaymaklı underground cities, and the Zeugma Mosaic Museum.
Due to high demand last season, evening hours at Istanbul sites were extended until Oct. 5, 2025, as part of the Istanbul Cultural Road Festival, while the Ephesus and Side sites remained open until Nov. 2, 2025. Night museum operations at the Galata Tower continued successfully throughout the entire year.
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