The Ephesus Experience Museum
Nestled in the historical UNESCO-heritage site of Ephesus, Turkey, the immersive heritage experience transports visitors back in time to witness the legendary city’s evolution over 1500 years through three rooms. From its birth, to its opulent Roman days and then to its poignant Christian decline, the experience celebrates the enduring spirit of Ephesus and its protector, the goddess of nature, Artemis of Ephesus.
Shaped by the collaboration of architects, artists, technologists, historians, and archaeologists, Ephesus is an emotional encounter with place and time, that allows visitors to step into the fabric of history and feel its stories.
Ephesus is one of the most popular tourist destinations around the Mediterranean. The Ephesus Experience Museum, developed by DEM Museums and owned by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, was launched in 2023 and has already gained international acclaim. It welcomes over 2000 visitors every day.
Visit the Ephesus Experience Museum
At once poetic and historical, the experience intertwines myth and reality, guiding visitors through the rise and fall of a civilisation that shaped the ancient world, and reimagines how heritage can be perceived.
From the majesty of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World, to the grand Theatre of Ephesus with its capacity for 24,000 spectators, the city’s landmarks are reanimated in detail.
Nestled within the hallowed grounds of the archaeological site, the Ephesus Digital Experience resurrects the rich past of this once-legendary city through a story told over 3 immersive rooms. It weaves a symphony of myth and reality, allowing visitors to experience the rise and fall of Ephesus through the ancient city’s birth, flourishing, and spiritual legacy.
Room I – The Beginning
The journey begins in a lush Anatolian landscape. Through light, scent, and sound, the audience witnesses Androklos meeting the Oracle of Delphi and the divine foundation of Ephesus. Visitors move through three great temples, from the first shrine to the Marble temple, and finally to the grand Artemission, the Temple to Artemis, once counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Myth becomes matter, revealing how belief shaped the city’s architecture and destiny.
Room II – The City in Its Glory
In the second room, the city comes alive. Visitors fly in from the sea and land on the bustling Arcadian Way, crossing paths with Cleopatra and Mark Antony. They step inside elegant terraced houses, feel the energy of the theatre filled with thousands, and witness Ephesus at its height under Roman rule. In the city’s poignant twilight, a new faith takes hold, St Paul preached here and the magnificent basilica of St John was built, and the city slowly falls into silence.
Room III – The Goddess Artemis
The final chapter is dedicated to Artemis, the city’s protector. An awe-inspiring statue reveals her lasting presence, not just in temples, but in the breath of the trees, the strength of the mountains, and the heartbeat of Ephesus through time. A powerful finale that leaves visitors spellbound.
Across a 12-minute journey through three rooms, immersive technologies bring 1,500 years of history to life.
Room I features a 270-degree projection combined with hologauze, creating layered, semi-transparent visuals that blur the boundaries between myth and reality.
Room II expands into full 360-degree projections across walls and floor, enveloping visitors in panoramic views of the ancient city.
Room III merges a monumental projection with a physical sculpture of Artemis, blending digital storytelling with tangible form for a powerful emotional conclusion.
A bespoke 3D soundscape integrates recordings of ancient instruments with original music and spatial sound design. Atmospheric effects – drifting fog, ambient scent, and subtle temperature shifts – heighten sensory immersion, while a multilingual audio guide accompanies visitors through the narrative. The result is a technologically sophisticated environment where history becomes experience and the distant past feels vividly alive.
Commissioned by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism and developed by DEM Museums, The Ephesus Experience Museum stands as a model of our approach to cross-disciplinary collaboration, and how cultural heritage can be told through immersive journeys through time. Historians, archaeologists, artists, and technologists worked hand-in-hand to create a historical and emotional encounter that honours both historical accuracy and emotional resonance..