Greece: The must-see Acropolis Museum in Athens

 

Last updated: 01/10/2019

The Acropolis Museum in Athens is one of the main attractions in the city and one of the most amazing museums we have ever visited in our lives! See why your Athens itinerary needs to include this must-see attraction in one of the most important historic cities in the world.

ATHENS ACROPOLIS MUSEUM

Opened in 2009, The Acropolis Museum is an archaeological museum whose exhibits focus on discoveries made from the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens during excavations. It was built to house all the artifacts found in the rock of the Acropolis and the surrounding slopes, from the Greek Bronze Age to the Greece of the Roman and Byzantine periods. The museum was built on some ruins of ancient Roman and Byzantine Athens and it is possible to see part of these ruins through clear glass floors.

In fact, this is not the first museum dedicated to the Acropolis. The original museum dates from the 19th century, but ended up being small due to the constant number of archaeological discoveries that were made over the following centuries. The current museum is located on the southeastern slope of the Acropolis hill, on the ancient road that led to the “sacred rock” in classical times.

The new building in which it is located is super modern, and its architecture revolves around three concepts: light, movement and a tectonic and programmatic element. The museum's collections are displayed on three levels, while an intermediate fourth level houses ancillary spaces and offices. In addition to the exhibition galleries, the museum also has an amphitheater, a virtual theater and a hall for temporary exhibitions.

Read more: Athens: 3 Days Itinerary in the Capital of Greece

 

WHAT IS THE VISIT TO THE ACROPOLE MUSEUM LIKE?

The visit to the museum begins even before entering it. The main entrance has an open atrium where you can walk over the city's excavations. Go around the entire excavation site before entering and read the signs for more information. Then head to the ticket office, which is on the right.

When you buy your ticket at the box office, it will have a digital code. This code must be used to release the electronic turnstile and start visiting. In addition, an employee will hand you a map that indicates what to find in each of the museum's exhibits. The map also indicates, with arrows, a suggested route to follow.

 

Start your visit from Floor 0 (Ground floor) by following the arrows on the Red color. After you go through all the floors, you will reach the top floor and you should return along the route indicated by the orange arrows to see the rest of the exhibitions on Floor 1 that were left behind during the ascent. It makes all the difference to follow the suggested route, as you will see all the views in chronological order and you won't miss a thing. Check the map below to see what you can find there. Next, we will detail what are the views on each of the floors.

ATHENS ACROPOLIS MUSEUM GALLERIES

1. Gallery of the Acropolis Slopes

On Floor 0 (Ground floor) of the museum is where the visit begins. On this floor, in addition to the ticket office, there is an auditorium, a shop, a Café, a virtual theater, luggage storage and bathroom. It is here that you will find, up a ramp, the Gallery of the Acropolis Slopes. This area is ascending to refer to the ascent to the Acropolis. Everything there is made of glass, even the floor has transparent glass, which allows you to see a part of the archaeological excavation that still takes place today.

This exhibition area seeks to display the sanctuaries that were founded on the slopes of the Acropolis, as well as the objects that Athenians used in their daily lives during all historical periods. A curiosity is that, in antiquity, the slopes of the Sacred Rock constituted the transition zone between the city and its most famous sanctuary. In these areas religious services also took place.

FOLLOWING THE CORRECT FLOW OF THE EXHIBITION

Going up the stairs, you will reach Floor 1, which is the floor with most of the museum's exhibition. Notice on the map that there are many red and orange arrows. The Archaic Acropolis Gallery must be visited next, but the gallery that tells the story from the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD should only be visited at the end of the tour, when you are already on your way back. Stick to this so you don't get lost in the periods of history. Therefore, as soon as you go up the ramp to the Gallery of the Acropolis Slopes, turn right.

BOOK NOW your hotel and save up to 50%. Travelers readers are with a SUPER DISCOUNT! And the best, with FREE CANCELLATION*!

Booking.com

*check the hotels with free cancellation on the website

2. Archaic Acropolis Gallery 

The focus of the Archaic Acropolis Gallery is to talk exactly about the Archaic period, which spans the 7th century BC and goes until the end of the Persian Wars in 79 BC This period is characterized by the development of the city-state and the transition from aristocracy to tyranny and, later, the famous Greek democracy. The period also saw great advances in economics, art, and intellectual life. On the south side of the gallery are representations of young women (the Korai), knights (the Hippeis) and many others. Up the stairs, on the 2nd Floor you will find restrooms, the Museum Restaurant (which offers a beautiful view of the Acropolis) and a multimedia center where a film about the Parthenon is shown. Once you've watched the movie, go up to Floor 3.

3. Parthenon Gallery

This gallery on Floor 3 is simply amazing! The rectangular structure of the Parthenon has been recreated with exact measurements, so you can walk around the floor and imagine what this immense structure was like in the past, observing each of its friezes, some originals and some replicas. The column spacing of the Parthenon Gallery is the same as in the old temple, and the use of glass walls on all four external walls allows natural light to illuminate the Parthenon marbles as it did in the old temple. There are 48 columns that mark the outline of the old temple and form a colonnade for the exhibition of marbles with engraved designs.

It's amazing to know how the marbles that formed the Parthenon were placed during its construction. A large part of the sculptures of the friezes can be found today in the beautiful British Museum, in London and in the immense the Louvre Museum, in Paris. Don't forget to stop by to watch explanatory videos that tell the story of the Parthenon.

4. Propylaia, Athena Nike, Erechtheion

After visiting the Parthenon Gallery on the top floor, it's time to start going down the stairs. Return to Floor 1 to see the last two exhibits in the museum. The main monuments that make up the Classical Acropolis are the Propylaia, O Temple of Athena Nike it's the erection, which are on display in this part of the museum. It is possible to see the roof of Propylaia, the sculptures on the parapet of the temple of Athena Nike and the Korai of the Erechtheion.

It is worth highlighting the Erechtheion, as the area around it was considered the holiest of the Acropolis. The Erechtheion was a complex marble building of the Ionian order, which to this day is considered a unique work of art. The eastern part of the Temple was dedicated to the goddess Athena. The western part was dedicated to the local hero Boutes, Hephaistos and other gods and heroes. The sculptures that stand out in the exhibition are the Korai, the temple's famous statues of maidens.

5. Gallery from the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD

At the very end of the exhibition, still on the 1st Floor, is the Gallery “From the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD”. Numerous statues were placed on the Acropolis, which represented gods, heroes, mythological subjects and portraits of famous men. They were often the works of well-known sculptors, dedicated by cities, rulers or even citizens. Few survived and are generally in poor condition. In this area you will find impressive portraits, Roman copies of classical masterpieces and representations of philosophers and historical figures.

The museum visit ends by descending the ramp from the first exhibition area. Go through the Acropolis Hillside Gallery again and exit through the same turnstile as the entrance.

TICKETS AND MORE ATTRACTIONS IN ATHENS

SHOPS, COFFEE AND RESTAURANT

• SHOPS: The Acropolis Museum houses two stores, one on the ground floor and the other next to the Museum Restaurant, on the Second Floor. The store on the ground floor offers a wide selection of postcards, paper products and a range of gifts for children. The Second Floor store offers a wide range of book titles on the Acropolis and related topics, as well as functional items and gifts.
• COFFEE AND RESTAURANT: Located on the ground floor, the Museum Café serves drinks, desserts and dishes overlooking the archaeological excavation. It is not necessary to buy a ticket to access the Café area. The Museum Restaurant is a much larger space and is located on the Second Floor. The establishment serves dishes based on traditional Greek recipes. Through the restaurant, it is possible to access a terrace that provides panoramic views of the Acropolis of Athens. On Friday nights, the restaurant serves special dinners, with jazz and drinks. It offers special gourmet options and beautiful night views of the Acropolis.

HOW TO GET TO THE ACROPOLIS MUSEUM

It is very easy to reach the Acropolis Museum by public transport. Check out the main options:

• Bus: Lines 24, 40, 57, 103, 106, 108, 111, 126, 134, 135, 136, 137, 155, 206, 208, 227, 230, 237, 790, 856, Α2, Α3, Α4, Β2, Β3 , Β4, Ε2, Ε22 (Point: Makriyianni)
• Trolley: Lines 1, 5, 15 (Point: Makriyianni)
• Subway: Line 2 (Anthoupoli-Elliniko), get off at Acropolis station
• Tram: Get off at Leoforos Vouliagmenis stop

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Acropolis Museum in Athens

• Address:  Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, Athens 117 42, Greece
• Schedules: 
  • from April to October: Monday from 8 am to 4 pm | from tuesday to thursday, saturday and sunday from 8 am to 8 pm | Friday from 8 am to 10 pm
  • November to March: Monday to Thursday from 9 am to 5 pm | Friday from 9 am to 10 pm | Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 8 pm
  • shops and restaurants usually close 15 minutes before the museum's closing time / check their specific pages for more information
• €5 – buy online and avoid queues | free on March 6th, March 25th, May 18th and October 28th
• Tours: the museum no offers guided tours, but there are specialized guides that offer the service in several languages / check it out in this link
• Photography: Photography and filming are permitted in all exhibition areas of the Museum. However, it is forbidden to take pictures of the Gallery of the Acropolis Slopes and the Archaic Acropolis Gallery. The use of flash or any portable equipment, such as a tripod and lighting kit, is not allowed inside the Museum.
• WiFi: the museum provides free wifi for visitors

Save this tip on Pinterest!

---

Read more about Greece:

• 10 things we love about Greece
• Greece: Tips for exploring the archaeological site of Delos
• Greece: Tour and Tasting at Santo Wines Winery in Santorini
• Greece: How to get to know Navagio Beach on the island of Zakynthos