For the 2026 European Heritage Days, a single evening opening with limited admission: tickets are already on sale, with capacity capped at 600 per time slot.
The Herculaneum Archaeological Park is participating in the European Heritage Days (EHD)—Europe’s largest cultural event, promoted in Italy by the Ministry of Culture—scheduled for September 26 and 27, 2026, under the theme “Protecting Heritage: Renewing, Resisting, Reinventing.” The most anticipated event is the special evening opening on Saturday, September 26, when the archaeological site will transform into an open-air stage at sunset.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW — LIMITED SEATING
Tickets for the evening opening on September 26 are already available for purchase online at ercolano.coopculture.it or by calling +39 081 0106490. The cost is nominal—1 euro, subject to statutory exemptions—but capacity is limited: a maximum of 600 visitors per time slot, totaling 1,200 for the entire evening. Reservations are mandatory even for those entitled to free admission, and sales close at 11:00 PM on the day itself, or earlier if tickets for a specific time slot sell out.
Anyone wanting to experience this night in Herculaneum would do well not to wait until the last minute.
Two sessions, a unique experience
Entry—via Corso Resina 187 and Via dei Papiri Ercolanesi 19—will be organized into two time slots: the first from 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM (with full exit by 10:00 PM) and the second from 10:00 PM to 11:30 PM (with full exit by midnight). Amidst the *domus* and streets of ancient Herculaneum—illuminated by an evocative artistic lighting design—visitors will encounter seven performances along the route (three dance, two musical, and two theatrical). These will be repeated cyclically throughout the evening, creating a unique dialogue between art and heritage.
“We want the public to experience the ancient city in a different light—suspended between memory and wonder—where contemporary art engages in a dialogue with the illuminated ruins. That is why we encourage everyone to book early: attendance is limited, designed to ensure a calm, safe experience free from overcrowding.”
declares Federica Colaiacomo, Director of the Archaeological Park of Herculaneum.
Even by day: “Resisting time. Writing in Herculaneum”
On Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27, the Park is also offering daytime thematic tours focused on written sources from the Roman era—wax tablets, carbonized papyri, graffiti, and inscriptions—featuring contributions from conservators, archaeologists, and a legal historian and epigrapher, as well as a family workshop titled “Cera una volta” (Once Upon a Time/Wax Upon a Time). These activities are included with the standard site admission ticket and require a reservation.
How to book
Online: ercolano.coopculture.it
Phone: +39 081 0106490 (Mon–Sat, excluding public holidays, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM)
Accessibility: pa-erco@cultura.gov.it; please submit a request at least 3 days in advance, specifying the date, time, and a contact telephone number.
