Göbeklitepe Exhibition to Open in Berlin’s Museum Island with 96 Artifacts in 2026

Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has announced that Göbeklitepe, one of the world’s most iconic Neolithic sites and a UNESCO World Heritage property, will be presented in a major international exhibition in Germany.

Deputy Minister Gökhan Yazgı confirmed that “Myths in Stone: Göbeklitepe and the World of the Last Hunters” will open in February 2026 on Berlin’s prestigious Museum Island, one of Europe’s leading cultural hubs.

The exhibition will feature a carefully curated selection of 96 works, including replicas of Göbeklitepe’s monumental T-pillars, digital installations, and multilingual film screenings. Visitors will also encounter detailed information panels and interactive content designed to contextualize the site within the broader Taş Tepeler Project, which encompasses multiple prehistoric mound sites in Şanlıurfa.

“Taş Tepeler is a project without parallel in the world. It has placed Göbeklitepe in a unique position in both archaeology and global tourism,” Yazgı said. He added that the site has already welcomed more than 500,000 visitors this year, underscoring its rising global profile.

This is not Türkiye’s first high-profile overseas exhibition. In 2023, the Colosseum in Rome hosted “Göbeklitepe: The Mystery of a Sacred Place,” which attracted over six million visitors. The Berlin edition is expected to reach an even broader audience, given Germany’s central role in Europe and its strong community of archaeology enthusiasts.

The Berlin show is planned to remain open for six months. According to Yazgı, accompanying academic sessions will further highlight Göbeklitepe’s place in Neolithic archaeology and demonstrate why the Taş Tepeler Project represents a turning point in the study of early civilizations.

By exporting one of its most significant archaeological treasures abroad, Türkiye aims not only to strengthen cultural diplomacy but also to boost heritage-driven tourism at home.

Cover Image Credit: Göbeklitepe is regarded as the world’s oldest known monumental temple complex. Photo: Oğuz Büyükyıldırım