Following strong public interest last year, Türkiye will once again open the doors of 27 museums and archaeological sites for night-time visits throughout the summer.
The initiative, which runs from June 1 to October 1, 2025, invites both local and international visitors to experience historical and cultural landmarks in the cooler, quieter hours of the evening.
The programme is designed to enhance cultural tourism by providing a more comfortable alternative to daytime visits.
Among the most popular destinations is the ancient city of Ephesus in Izmir, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Known for its vast ruins and the remains of the Temple of Artemis — once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — Ephesus will remain open until 11:00 pm local time from Wednesdays to Saturdays each week. On the remaining days (Sunday to Tuesday), it will operate during its regular hours, from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm.
The site continues to attract history enthusiasts from around the world.
Mount Nemrut: A glimpse into an ancient kingdom
In southeastern Türkiye, Mount Nemrut in Adiyaman will offer early morning visits from 4:00 to 9:00 am local. Visitors will be able to view its monumental statues at sunrise.
Towering at 2,150 metres, the site is home to monumental Hellenistic sculptures commissioned by King Antiochus I of Commagene.
These striking statues, carved from limestone blocks, are said to symbolise a cultural bridge between East and West, reflecting Antiochus’s mixed Hellenic and Persian heritage.
Added to the UNESCO list in 1987, the site remains a magnet for history lovers.
Aspendos, Patara, Side open until 10:00 pm
In Antalya, popular tourist sites such as the Antalya Museum, Alanya Museum, and Necropolis Museum will remain open until 10:00 pm, alongside the ancient cities of Aspendos, Patara, and Side.
Further west, the Temple of Apollo in Didim will be open until 9:00 pm, while Bodrum’s Museum of Underwater Archaeology can be visited until 10:00 pm. The ancient city of Hierapolis in Denizli will welcome visitors until 11:00 pm.
Cappadocia, Galata Tower under starry night
Several of Istanbul’s most popular museums will participate in the night museum scheme.
These include the Istanbul Archaeology Museums (excluding indoor exhibits), the Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum, and Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, all open until 10:00 pm. The iconic Galata Tower will remain open to visitors until 11:00 pm.
In Cappadocia, known for its unique natural landscapes, underground cities such as Derinkuyu, Kaymakli, and Ozkonak, along with the Zelve-Pasabaglar Open-Air Museum, will also open until 9:00 pm.
In Ankara, two of the city’s key museums will extend their visiting hours. The Museum of Anatolian Civilisations, founded at Ataturk’s request to showcase the ancient Hittite heritage of the region, will be open until 9:00 pm. The nearby Ethnography Museum, once Ataturk’s temporary resting place, will also remain open until 9:00 pm.
Other noteworthy late openings
Samsun Archaeology and Ethnography Museum, housing artefacts from the Chalcolithic to Roman eras, will be open until 10:00 pm.
Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep, home to expansive Roman mosaics and statues, will remain open until 9:00 pm.
Sanliurfa Museum, Türkiye’s largest indoor museum, displaying nearly 10,000 artefacts, will be open until 9:00 pm. Nearby, the Haleplibahce Mosaic Museum, with its vast 6,000-square-metre roof and 82-metre column-free span, will also host visitors late into the evening.
Erzurum Museum will participate in the night museum scheme as well, with extended hours until 9:00 pm.
This initiative aims to enhance the cultural tourism experience across Türkiye, offering visitors a chance to engage with the country’s rich heritage under the atmospheric light of evening.
