Abstract A series of novel phosphors such as Ba2Mg(PO4)2: Ag+ (BMPO: xAg), Ba2Mg(PO4)2: Sm3+ (BMPO: ySm) and Ba2Mg(PO4)2: Ag+, Sm3+ (BMPO: 1%Ag, ySm) were prepared by solid-state reaction method. Phase structure and luminescent properties of Ba2Mg(PO4)2 were explored. It is shown that, under the excitation of 278 nm DUV light, a broadband emission peak centered at 400 nm was obtained in BMPO: xAg at room temperature, which is attributed to the emission of the Ag+-Ag+ pairs. The optimum doping concentration of Ag+ in Ba2Mg(PO4)2 is 1 mol.%. And the main emission peaks of Ba2Mg(PO4)2: ySm are located at 564 nm, 600 nm and 645 nm, respectively, which are ascribed to the 4G5/2→6Hj (j = 5/2, 7/2, 9/2) transitions of Sm3+. In BMPO: 1%Ag, ySm, Ag+ can enhance the emission intensity of BMPO: ySm effectively via an energy transfer and/or absorptions with Sm3+.