Italy's Record Heat Spurs Nighttime Museum Hours Across Europe

Temperatures across Italy have surged above 40°C, with forecasts of up to 43°C in Sardinia and Sicily. The Italian health ministry placed 15 major cities—including Rome, Milan, Bologna, Florence, Turin, Bari, Genoa, Palermo and others—under a red‑code heat alert, the highest level indicating a public‑health emergency.

In response to the extreme heat, museums, galleries and retail outlets in several European cities are shifting their opening hours to the evening, offering night‑time visits to protect visitors from daytime temperatures. This has given rise to a new form of "nocturnal tourism" as travelers postpone daytime activities.

Scientists link the intensified heatwaves to climate change driven by greenhouse‑gas emissions from fossil‑fuel combustion, warning that such extreme weather events are becoming more frequent.