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National Archeological Museum of Athens Greece

Athens Museum Guide: The National Archeological Museum

The National Archeology Museum is located at #24 28th October St. (commonly known as Pattision St.), Athens 10682 Greece. See NAM Map
The closest Metro is Omonia Sq.

The museum hours can vary and its best to call ahead: Tel: 210-821-7717/724. Closed major holidays. On a good day hours are 8am to 7pm. Also see Museum tips

The museum was recently been renovated for Olympic Games and the millennium and they did a darn good job, pretty much, IMHO!. There is a decent gift shop too.

"Toe Eth-ni-koe Mu-seo" is what to say to the taxi driver. Ethnic is a Greek word Ethnos. The National Museum is what you will be saying. The one the only! Cabbies have to know where it is!

The museum consists of some 48 rooms on 2 floors and is the largest museum in Greece.

It displays the most important collection of Greek sculpture in the world and the 4th most important collection of Eygptian (rooms 40-41) artifacts in Europe. Plan on 3 hours minimum to see this museum.

The museum is too small to display everything and with the finding of 30,000 more ancient objects during the construction of the new Athens Metro, no doubt many priceless works will remain hidden but with the opening of New Acropolis Museum things new priceless treasures will see the light.

The biggest collection is of ancient sculpture, rooms 7 to 33 and traces its evolution from 700 BC to the beginning of Byzantine times.

The museum houses an excellent Neolithic, Cycladic, Mycenaean and Roman period collection too as well as many other items of interest. Additionally there are also two gift shops. The Greece National Archeology Museum also owns and houses the 4th most important Egyptian collection in the world but it was closed to the public when I went.

Still the Acrotiri Santorini Fresco's Hall on the second floor was finally open! See Below.

I just got a new DSLR camera and a few these pictures could be a bit sharper so I apologize in advance. In Greece usually they wont let you use a tripod or a flash and sometimes dont even allow photos depending on the museum.

Below we start our picture tours as the museum starts with the old stuff first! Some style labels you'll see bandied about are for example: Pre-historic, Minyan, Mycenaen, Cycladic and Minoan then there are archaic, proto-geometric, geometric, classical and Hellenistic.. then comes Roman and Byzantine. There is a lot to absorb and these pictures and some of the accompanying explanatory graphics will help. Click to see larger. These are Cyclades Islands Figurines their style has influenced many artists including Picaso as I think you will agree.

cycladic collection these 2 very famous cycladic figurines

cycladic similar but different cycladic cycladic

click to read what the museum has to say cycladic cycladic

Next we have pre-historic pottery and other items of daily use by Cycladic, Mycenean and Minoan peoples.

click to see larger click small figures

kouros room Archaic Statuary bronzes

Cycladic and Geometric Pottery from ancient Attka and Eretria
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attik eretrian cycladic attiki pottery c. 650 BC a kantharos

clcik giant battle giganto-machi child playing

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