Under a new “night museum” initiative, the ancient city of Ephesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the western province of İzmir’s Selçuk district, now features an illumination system allowing visitors to tour the ruins after dark until Oct. 1.
The ancient city will welcome visitors between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., with all guests required to leave the site by 11 p.m. at the latest.
The program, introduced to allow visitors to explore the site during cooler hours, features special lighting for major landmarks, including the Library of Celsus, the Agora, Curetes Street, the Temple of Domitian, the ancient theater and the Terrace Houses.
A projection mapping show launched last year on the facade of the Library of Celsus will also continue this season.
Large crowds gathered on the program’s opening day to watch the lights come on and take photographs around the ancient city.
Efes Museum Director Murat Kaleağasıoğlu said officials aim to surpass last season’s visitor figures.
Night visits will be held on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until Oct. 1, he said.
Kaleağasıoğlu noted that the program attracted strong interest last year and expressed expectations of similar demand this season.
“Visitors enjoy exploring Ephesus at night because of the daytime heat, and they appreciate the atmosphere created by the lighting. It offers a completely different experience,” he said.
He added that the annual opera and ballet festival will take place between June 27 and mid-July, during which night museum visits will be suspended on performance days.
According to Kaleağasıoğlu, Ephesus attracted more than 2.5 million visitors last year, with total attendance expected to approach 3 million this year. Officials also hope to exceed 300,000 visitors through the night museum programme alone.
