National Archaeological Museum

28is Oktovriou 44, Athina 106 82, Greece

There are dozens of archaeological museums in Greece, but this is easily the biggest and best. Over 11,000 exhibits—including golden death masks, larger-than-life bronze gods and black-and-terracotta pottery—provide a panorama of Greek civilization from prehistory to late antiquity. Standouts are the Antikythera Mechanism, the world’s first analog computer, which lay under the sea for 2000 years, and enchanting wall paintings of boxers and blue monkeys from Santorini, buried under volcanic ash around 1600 B.C.E. Although the curation is somewhat old-fashioned, the collection is truly one-of-a-kind and requires several hours (if not several days) to explore. Afterwards, have an iced coffee among the ethereal statues in the walled garden.

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National Archaeological Museum

There are dozens of archaeological museums in Greece, but this is easily the biggest and best. Over 11,000 exhibits—including golden death masks, larger-than-life bronze gods and black-and-terracotta pottery—provide a panorama of Greek civilization from prehistory to late antiquity. Standouts are the Antikythera Mechanism, the world’s first analog computer, which lay under the sea for 2000 years, and enchanting wall paintings of boxers and blue monkeys from Santorini, buried under volcanic ash around 1600 B.C.E. Although the curation is somewhat old-fashioned, the collection is truly one-of-a-kind and requires several hours (if not several days) to explore. Afterwards, have an iced coffee among the ethereal statues in the walled garden.

National Archeology Museum

Vast and glorious, this is the largest archeological museum in Greece and considered one of the most important institutions for antiquity anywhere. Inside its collonaded neoclassical building are collections dating to prehistoric times and organized according to location, era, and materials. You can get lost looking at ancient works in gold, metal, and paper; view objects in the Cycladic collection of wall painting from Santorini; or decipher the meanings of the images of Greek vases. Kouroi (the iconic statues of young men) are plentiful. Among the most impressive works in the museum is the golden Mask of Agamemnon. This is one of the don’t-miss stops in Athens.

Athens Tips Part 19 - Archaeological Museum

The archaeology museum is probably one of the most overlooked attractions in Athens. This is mostly in part to its location far from the centre and surrounded by unattractive neighbourhoods. If you’re traveling to Athens because you’re interested in the ancient sites, this is a must see place. This museum contains important finds from all over the country. Often you’ll find yourself on sites all over Greece, and they’ll have signs saying that certain items discovered there are located at this the Archaeological Museum in Athens. The pieces in this museum are beautifully displayed, however the explanations are often hard to understand. Many of the signs describing the items can be overly brief and in archaeologists speak. The maps provided also are a little vague, and many of the popular pieces can be hard to find. This museum is also extremely large, in one day you’d be hard pressed to see everything unless you buzzed through. The best plan is to visit this museum at the end of your Greek adventure if you can. By that point you will have seen several sites and you’ll have a better idea of what you might be interested in seeing at this massive museum.

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