Culture & Tourism: Turkish Ministry launches Night Museums Project
According to the details, the initiative, which welcomed over 395,000 visitors in its inaugural season last year, aims to transform cultural tourism by offering visitors a unique after-dark experience at some of Türkiye's most treasured historical landmarks.
The project, which began June 1, extends operating hours at renowned sites from Istanbul's iconic Galata Tower to the ancient underground cities of Cappadocia, supporting the government's broader vision of distributing tourism across all 81 cities and throughout the year.
The crown jewel of the programme remains the UNESCO World Heritage-listed ancient city of Ephesus in ?zmir, which stays open until 11:00pm on Wednesdays through Saturdays.
In Istanbul, the Archaeological Museums, Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum, and Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum welcome visitors until 10:00pm, while the historic Galata Tower extends its hours until 11:00pm
The fairy-tale landscape of Nev?ehir provides access to its famous underground cities of Derinkuyu, Kaymakl?, and Özkonak until 9:00pm, offering visitors a mystical journey through ancient carved chambers.
The dramatic Nemrut Mountain Archaeological Site in Adıyaman offers a unique dawn experience, with illuminated access available from 4:00am to 9:00am.
The site features monumental limestone statues commissioned by King Antiochus I of Commagene.
In Antalya, the popular Mediterranean destination features extended hours at various museums and archaeological sites including Aspendos, Patara, and Side until 10:00pm.
The capital's Anatolian Civilizations Museum showcases artifacts from Hittite, Urartian, Sumerian, and Phrygian civilizations until 9:00pm, while Şanlıurfa massive museum with its 4.5 kilometer exhibition route displaying approximately 10,000 artifacts also extends hours until 9:00pm. The Gaziantep Zeugma Mosaic Museum, featuring 2,500 square meters of Roman-era mosaics, opens until 9:00pm.
The Night Museums Project addresses tourism challenges by distributing visitor traffic throughout the day and offering cooler evening exploration during Turkey's hot summer months.
The initiative transforms industrial heritage sites as well, including İzmir's 140-year-old Alsancak Tekel Factory, now converted into the Müze İzmir Culture and Art Factory.
The expanded 2025 programme includes enhanced lighting installations designed to create immersive storytelling experiences that bring Turkey's multi-civilizational heritage to life, aligning with Turkey's ambitious tourism targets to welcome 65 million visitors and generate $64 billion in tourism revenue.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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