Türkiye's night museums draw over 1.3M visitors as attendance jumps 32%

Türkiye's night museum program has attracted more than 1.3 million visitors in 2026, marking a 32% increase compared to the same period last year, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced Saturday.

The initiative, introduced by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to extend visiting hours at museums and archaeological sites, recorded 1.33 million visitors, up from 1 million last year.

The ancient city of Ephesus emerged as the most popular destination, drawing more than 500,000 visitors who explored the archaeological site after sunset.

The illuminated facade of the Library of Celsus in Ephesus during nighttime museum visits, Izmir, Türkiye, October 2, 2025. (AA Photo)

Ephesus leads Türkiye's most popular nighttime attractions

According to figures shared by Ersoy, Ephesus topped the list with 501,811 visitors, followed by Istanbul's Galata Tower with 277,557 and the ancient city of Hierapolis in Pamukkale with 190,910.

Other popular destinations included the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, which welcomed 62,071 visitors, the Didim archaeological site with 60,884 and Marmaris Museum with 50,053.

Ersoy welcomed the growing interest in the program, saying the response demonstrated the public's enthusiasm for experiencing Türkiye's historical and cultural heritage in a different setting.

He also emphasized that the ministry would continue working to bring cultural heritage to wider audiences and turn museums and archaeological sites into more active cultural spaces.

An aerial view of the ancient Temple of Apollo in the Didim district of Aydin, Türkiye, illuminated as part of the Night Museum program on June 25, 2026. (AA Photo)

Night visits extended at selected heritage sites

The 2026 night museum program initially ran from June 1 to Oct. 1, covering 22 locations managed by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums, including 11 museums and 11 archaeological sites.

However, growing visitor demand prompted the ministry to extend nighttime access at several destinations.

At Ephesus and Side, evening visits continued until Oct. 15, while the program at the Goreme archaeological site in Cappadocia will remain available through Oct. 31.

Istanbul's Galata Tower, meanwhile, will continue offering nighttime visits throughout the year.

Ersoy said the ministry remained committed to expanding public access to cultural heritage, adding that the strong turnout encouraged further efforts to make Türkiye's museums and historical sites more accessible to visitors.

October 18, 2026 05:07 AM GMT+03:00