The Zeugma Mosaic Museum, one of the world’s largest mosaic museums, welcomed 73,116 visitors during the first three months of the year, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism reported.
Established in 2011 along the historic Silk Road in southeastern Türkiye, the Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep sits on a 30,000-square-meter (322,915-square-foot) site and displays unique mosaics uncovered during rescue excavations in riverside villas along the Euphrates River.
The museum’s collection includes the world-famous Gypsy Girl mosaic, the Mars statue and Roman-era fountains. With the arrival of spring, tours have increased, creating a surge in tourism.
A recipient of the Presidential Culture and Arts Grand Award, the museum continues to attract large crowds.
“Zeugma is a museum known internationally,” Gaziantep Museum Director Özgür Çomak told Anadolu Agency (AA). “The mosaics from the ancient city of Zeugma are displayed in a modern museum environment. Opened in 2011, our museum is the largest in the region and one of the most important mosaic museums in the world. Zeugma has contributed greatly to tourism. It is a must-visit for both local and foreign tourists, and nearly all visitors to Gaziantep make the museum their first stop.”
Çomak said the museum set a record in 2025. “After 2020, visitor numbers started to rise again, but the pandemic and the Feb. 6 earthquakes caused declines. In 2024, we welcomed 466,000 visitors. In 2025, the museum reached its peak with 616,000 visitors,” he said.
With 73,000 visitors in the first quarter of 2026, Çomak expressed optimism for the year. “We started 2026 with heavy snowfall and harsh weather in our region and across the country. But current numbers suggest we will surpass 2025 figures. With the abundance of spring, the Zeugma Mosaic Museum will exceed last year’s record. We hope 2026 will be a strong tourism season for Gaziantep,” he said.
Mehmet Atabay, who traveled from Kırklareli to visit the museum, said, “Everyone should see this place.”
Niyazi Kavlak, visiting from Istanbul with his wife and children, added: “We organized a four-day trip to Şanlıurfa and Gaziantep. It’s wonderful that a place like this was created to preserve these works.”
Tour guide Murat Sümbül noted that his group came from Germany and said hotels in the region are fully booked for two months during spring.
