The official opening of the New Acropolis Museum (Saturday June 20 2009)

On Saturday June 20 2009 the New Acropolis Museum has opend its  gates to the public for the frst time.It is a project that was based on the  idea of expanding  the Old Acropolis Museum which was build on 1874.From 1976 the first architecure competiton took place as well on 1979 but with no successfull results.

In 1989, Melina Mercouri, who was Minister of Culture started the campain for the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum, initiated  an  international architectural competition. The results of this competition were annulled following the discovery of a large urban settlement on the Makriyianni site dating from Archaic to Early Christian Athens. This discovery now needed to be integrated into the New Museum that was to be built on this site.

Today, the new Acropolis Museum has a total area of 25,000 sqm, with exhibition space of over 14,000 square meters, ten times more than that of the old museum on the Hill of the Acropolis. The new Museum has all the amenities expected in a museum of the 21st century.

Location:

The Acropolis Museum is located in the historical area of Plaka in Makriyianni street, near of the Holly Rock of the Acropolis, on Dionysiou Areopagitou Street. It is only 300 meters from the Acropolis and also very close from Syntagma Square which is the main city square. The Museum entrance is at the beginning of the Dionysiou Areopagitou street, which is the central route of the city’s archaeological sites. The Acropolis Metro station is on the east side of the Museum.

You can reach the New Acropolis Museum by Bus (Lines 24, 40, 57, 103, 106, 108, 111, 126, 134, 135, 136, 137, 155, 206, 208, 227, 230, 237, 790, 856, A2, A3, A4, B2, B3, B4, E2, E22 stop : Makryianni), by Trolley (Lines 1, 5, 15 stop: Makryianni) or by Metro (Line 2 Aghios Antonios - Aghios Dimitrios, Disembarkation station: Acropolis)

Hours:

The Museum is open from 08.00 am until 08.00 pm daily, except for Mondays and last admission is at 07.30 pm. In the New Acropolis Museum you can find the restaurant with panoramic view of the Acropolis located at the mezzanine, as well as the Museum cafeteria which is located on the ground floor and is open only for the visitors of the Museum. The Museum remains closed in Public Holidays.

Ticketing:

From Wednesday 24 June 2009, visitors will be able to gain admission to the Museum with the purchase of a ticket at the Museum, or the pre purchase of a ticket on the Museum website. As of Wednesday 24 June 2009, there will be free admission for YPPO cardholders.
From 21 June 2009 to 31 December 2009, the cost of entry for all visitors is 1 euro.