Ephesus was also the home of the Greek aristocratic philosopher Heraclitus (c.535 BC - c.475 BC), when the city was part of the Persian Empire. Later, in Roman times, Ephesos became the capital of the Province of Asia, and counted around 200,000 inhabitants.

Austrian archaeologists have been excavating the ruins of Ephesos since 1895.

In addition to the Ephesian artefacts, the museum is also home to items from the Sanctuary of the Great Gods of the Mystery cult on the Greek island of Samothrace, which was explored by Austrian archaeologists in 1873 and 1875.

The Ephesos Museum is a branch of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

For more detailed informations, see website