Acropolis Museum — Attraction in Athens

Until the middle of the 17th century, the Acropolis’ most important monuments remained generally intact, as shown by the drawings of European travellers. In 1645, however, the Propylaia suffered severe damage from an explosion of stored gunpowder ignited by a bolt of lightning. Furthermore, in 1686, the Turks, facing a threat from the Venetian army led by General Morosini, dismantled the Temple of Athena Nike to use its building material for reinforcing the Acropolis walls and for construction of a defensive rampart in front of the Propylaia. Then, in 1687, came the Parthenon’s turn. Many of the building’s architectural members were blown into the air and fell in heaps around the Hill of the Acropolis due to the explosion of the gunpowder stored inside the temple. In the 18th century, as more and more travellers visited the Acropolis, they often made a point of taking away something ancient as a memento. Systematic looting of the site, however, occurred at the beginning of the 19th century, when Britain’s ambassador to Constantinople, Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin, managed to secure an authorization (firman) from the Ottoman Sultan for investigation of the Acropolis - but not for stripping the monuments of their sculptural decoration. Nevertheless, Elgin’s team removed a large number of the sculptures until then preserved on the Parthenon, as well as one of the Caryatids from the Erechtheion, four frieze blocks from the Temple of Athena Nike and other antiquities, which were shipped off to Great Britain.

In 1833 the Turkish garrison withdrew definitively from the Acropolis which, in 1834, became an archaeological site proclaimed by the newly established Greek State. Then began efforts to gather, preserve and protect the antiquities scattered on the Rock. Their number, which was increasing steadily due to the archaeological excavations being conducted in the hill’s ancient deposits, made it pressing to create a museum on the site. Thus began the search for a suitable location, which finally led to the decision in 1863 to establish the Museum in a hollow in the ground, southeast of the Parthenon. The Museum was founded in 1865, completed in 1874 and housed the finds of the first excavations on the Acropolis; however, it proved insufficient to accommodate the abundance of new finds which had been brought to light during the large, ongoing excavations, leading thus to the construction of a second small building in 1888, next to the previous one. Finally, following the Second World War, a radical architectural refurbishment was undertaken resulting in the creation of a new building that continued to operate until 2007.

In 1975 is formed the Committee for the Conservation of the Acropolis Monuments (ESMA), with a view to examining all the dangers of the Acropolis monuments and submitting studies. The first building that was taken care of by ESMA is the Erechtheion, from which the Caryatids were removed in 1979 to be saved from the relentless damage caused by outdoor exposure and they were transferred to the Museum on the Rock. The problem of insufficient space arose once again and the idea of constructing a new Acropolis Museum emerged - this time, however, not on the Sacred Rock.

The architectural competition was held in 2000, which led to the selection of the proposal by Bernard Tschumi and his Greek collaborator Michael Photiades. The new Acropolis Museum was constructed on the south side of the Acropolis at a distance of 300 metres from its monuments. The Museum’s foundations were completed on the 30th of January 2004 and its opening took place on the 20th...

My family and I came here 2 days prior to visiting the Parthenon. I highly recommend coming here BEFORE going to the Parthenon so that you and more fully appreciate the Parthenon. The top floor of the Museum gives you an idea of the space of the Parthenon, since you cannot walk inside the real Parthenon.

The views of the Parthenon are incredible, so you can easily make comparisons while walking among the columns and admiring the frieze, triglyphs and metopes (I hope I’m using those words correctly).

We had a 6 & 9 year old with us, so we had to make wise use of their limited patience with museums.

I bought tickets online on the website, which was easy to navigate. But upon arrival at the museum entrance, the special line for people who had already purchased online tickets was far longer! We ended up standing in the line for people who had NOT purchased their tickets online and it went faster. The museum attendants didn’t seem to care and told us to simply stand in whatever line was shorter.

Ultimately it doesn’t matter much b/c at the beginning of April, the line moved pretty quickly.

You HAVE to check in bags/backpacks. This is free. I suggest ladies to bring a purse so you can keep your wallet, phone, lip balm, etc with you.

Go by the information desk to get red backpacks if you have children. You have to give ID to borrow a backpack, but it is worth it because they have activities for children to do. This is free and the interactive aspect is very fun. Even adults asked us where we got this activity!

For example, one activity is searching for 12 statues of the Goddess Athena throughout Level 1 and Level 3 and applying special stickers to the map when you find each Athena. This was a great activity and a highlight for my children.

I have to point out how unknowledgable the museum staff members were. This was ridiculous. We asked several museum staff members to help us locate an Athena statue (from the children’s activity) and received the following replies:

“Is this statue even in this museum?” (That was by far my favorite reply)

“You should ask my colleague.”

“I have no idea.”

[completely puzzled look and looking around aimlessly]

So, a 6-year-old child can do the Goddess Athena activity, but the 30-55 year old adults who are employed by your museum have no idea where these 12 statues are, even on the floor where they work?

I suggest museum management have an evening, after the museum has closed to the public, where they require their own staff to complete the children’s activity “In Search of the Goddess Athena” at a bare minimum.

The cafe has amazing views.

The exterior of the museum is beautiful.

The Acropolis Museum needs to be at the top of the list, prior to seeing the Parthenon, for every traveler.

I wish we had more time to visit the ruins...

The Acropolis Museum in Athens is one of the most celebrated archaeological museums in the world, skillfully blending modern architecture with Greece’s ancient heritage .

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🕰️ Practical Visit Info • Location: Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, just south of the Acropolis hill and a short walk from the Acropoli metro station . • Opening Hours: • Summer (Apr 1–Oct 31): Mon 9 am–5 pm (last entry 4:30 pm); Tue–Thu & Sun 9 am–8 pm; Fri until 10 pm . • Winter (Nov 1–Mar 31): Mon–Thu 9 am–5 pm; Fri 9 am–10 pm; Sat–Sun until 8 pm . • Closed on Jan 1, Orthodox Easter Sunday, May 1, December 25–26; varied timings on holidays . • Admission (2024–2025): General: €15 (rising to €20 from Nov 2024); reduced: €10 . Free on select days (e.g., Mar 6, Mar 25, May 18, Oct 28) and for EU youth under 25 . • Time Needed: Allocate 2 hours to explore. Guided visits may take 75–90 min, or up to 3 h if paired with Acropolis tours . Visiting early morning or late afternoon—especially Friday evening—helps avoid crowds . • Tickets & Access: Tickets can be bought onsite or online (e‑tickets required from Apr 1) . Note: Museum ticket ≠ Acropolis hill ticket .

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🏛️ Highlights of the Collection

Parthenon Gallery (3rd Floor) • Houses metopes, friezes, and pediments arranged to replicate the original temple layout—perfectly aligned with the Acropolis above . • Includes reconstructions of vivid-colored Parthenon sculptures.

Caryatids (1st Floor)

Five original statues from the Erechtheion’s Porch of Caryatids, with one empty pedestal symbolizing the sixth, removed to London .

Archaic & Other Galleries • Peplos Kore (c. 530 BC): Iconic Parian marble kouros statue . • Kritios Boy (c. 480 BC): First classical contrapposto nude . • Also features Euthydikos Kore, Mourning Athena, Nike of Callimachus, Procne & Itys, and other treasures .

“Museum under the Museum”

Explore the excavated ancient Athenian neighborhood beneath the museum—home to artifacts, homes, streets, and baths. Since July 2024, over 1,100 everyday items like toys, pots, and tools have been on display .

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Additional Perks • Cafe & Restaurant (2nd Floor): Offers views of the excavation and Acropolis, open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Ideal for combining dinner with a late visit  . • Virtual Reality Theater: Weekend 3D projections immerse you deeper into Acropolis life . • Accessibility: Fully wheelchair-accessible, with Braille guides...