The visiting hours for museums and archaeological sites affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism have been reorganized for the 2024 tourism season. According to the new implementation, some museums and archaeological sites will welcome visitors until later hours as part of a new night-time museum initiative.
With the new regulations, the visiting hours have been extended as follows: the Ephesus Archaeological Site will be open until midnight, while the Aspendos, Patara, Side, and Hierapolis Archaeological Sites will be open until 11:00 PM. The Istanbul Airport Museum and Galata Tower will be open until 11:00 PM, and the Hagia Sophia Museum and Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology will be open until 10:00 PM.
Additionally, the visiting hours for the Perge, Phaselis, Olympos, Sagalassos, Laodicea, Knidos, Zelve-Paşabağları archaeological sites, as well as the Antalya Museum, Istanbul Archaeological Museum, Maiden’s Tower, Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, Ephesus Museum, and Samsun Museum have been extended until 9:00 PM. Many other museums and archaeological sites will also have their visiting hours extended until 7:00 or 8:00 PM. A detailed list of the updated visiting hours will be available as of June 15, 2024.
A special arrangement has also been made for the holiday period. Normally, museums and archaeological sites are closed until noon on the first day of the holiday, but they will be open on the first day of the Eid al-Adha holiday as well. Additionally, all museums and archaeological sites will be open on the second day of the holiday, which is Monday. This arrangement aims to extend the visiting hours and provide more service to visitors.
The new visiting hours for popular museums and archaeological sites will allow for a broader reach of cultural and historical heritage, providing both citizens and tourists with the opportunity to explore Turkey's rich cultural heritage for longer hours.