Museums throughout Türkiye are preparing for a special celebration in honor of the annual European Night of Museums. As part of this event, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy free entry and extended hours, allowing them to explore the museums well into the evening.
The Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry announced that 43 museums throughout the country will be free-of-charge and remain open until 11 p.m. on Thursday, allowing art enthusiasts and history buffs to experience the country’s cultural treasures in a unique and enchanting setting.
The European Night of Museums, or the Long Night of Museums, is a cultural event held across Europe during which museums and cultural institutions stay open late.
Among the museums in Türkiye’s top metropolis which will be free and open until late are the Istanbul Archaeology Museums and the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum. In the Turkish capital, the Ankara Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, the Ephesus Archaeological Museum in the Aegean province of Izmir, as well as the Andriake Archaeological Site in the Mediterranean province of Antalya will be also open for late evening visitors.
May 18 is also marked as Museum Day across the world, and this year’s theme for the occasion is "Museums, Sustainability and Well-being," according to the Paris-based International Council of Museums, an international organization of museums and museum professionals.
"Museums are key contributors to the well-being and sustainable development of our communities," said the institution on its website.
Pera and Eskişehir
In Türkiye, May 18-24 is celebrated as Museum Week.
The Odunpazarı Modern Museum (OMM) in the central province of Eskişehir said that it will be holding a series of online seminars on museums on May 20-21 to mark Museum Week. In the panels, experts will discuss issues related to museology and museums, the museum said in a statement.
Istanbul’s Pera Museum is organizing a series of events for Museum Week including film screenings and workshops for children.
The museum will be free-of-charge all day long on May 18 but will close at 7:00 p.m. at its usual time.
In one such event, said the museum, "Cinematographic Pleasures: Highlights of Eye Filmmuseum invites audiences on a journey that sheds light on the 128-year history of cinema." The program has been organized in partnership with the Dutch Eye Filmmuseum, one of the foremost film museums in Europe, and curated by Elif Rongen-Kaynakci.
A workshop titled "Museum of Dreams" invites children "to get to know the Pera Museum and the interesting works in its collections," a statement said. "Participants create original designs by using various paints and decoration materials, templates with drawings of the front facade of the Pera Museum, and printouts of works they encounter at exhibitions."
For the special week, Pera Museum is also organizing a free exhibition tour for a limited number of participants with curators Serdar Darendeliler and Refik Akyüz for the "Istanbuls Today" photo exhibition.