Greece › Athens › Museums › Acropolis Museum
By Santorini Dave
See Also
- Best Hotels in Athens
- Where to Stay in Athens
- Best Restaurants in Athens
- Best Things to Do in Athens
The Acropolis Museum’s Parthenon Gallery displays original sculptures and artifacts sourced from the Parthenon alongside a view to the structure itself.
Tickets and Tours
- Skip-the-line Acropolis Museum Ticket
- Acropolis and Museum Combo with Audio Guide
- Athens Pass Combo Ticket
- Small Group Acropolis & Museum Tour
- Private Acropolis & Acropolis Museum Tour
The stunning Acropolis Museum houses all archaeological findings from the Acropolis and surrounding slopes and is a must-see for any first-time visitor to Athens. Opened in 2009, the museum looks not only above for inspiration, but also below; it is built on concrete pilings over an ancient Athenian neighborhood. Years of excavation while building the museum revealed streets, sewage systems, courtyards, wells, reservoirs, latrines, workshops, and tombs – all of which are available for visitors to see and tour. It’s essential to pair a museum visit with a trip to the Acropolis itself; to get the most out of your visit, we highly recommend a taking guided tour.
Excellent exhibits include three airy floors of permanent collection plus the underground excavation site. In the incredible third-floor Parthenon Gallery, original sculptures sourced from the Parthenon are arranged and oriented along a rectangular core that mimics the dimensions of the original building; floor-to-ceiling windows allow visitors to view these artifacts while also looking out on the Acropolis above. Video presentations are set up in a couple of different spots throughout the museum, and archaeologists are available on site to answer questions and give presentations.
The museum has a ground-floor café and stylish second-floor restaurant that features a large dining terrace in the Acropolis’ shadow, offering fantastic Parthenon views. You can enjoy either one without going to the museum; access to the café does not require a ticket, access to the restaurant requires a (free) ticket you have to get from the ticket desk. Restaurant hours are the same as the museum with the exceptions of Friday and Saturday nights, when it closes at midnight. A fantastic bookstore and souvenir shop are also on site.
The Acropolis Museum is open daily, with reduced hours and admission prices from November through March. There is a mandatory coat and bag check for all museum visitors (small purses, wallets, and phones may be carried throughout the museum, but no overcoats, backpacks, or larger bags), and belongings must go through an X-ray baggage control station at the entrance before ticket purchase. Located in central Athens on the Acropolis’ south slope, about a kilometer from Monastiraki Square and 120 meters from the Acropoli metro station.
Acropolis Museum Hours and Information
- Hours: November 1 to March 31: Monday to Thursday 9am – 5pm, Friday 9am – 10pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am – 8pm. April 1 to October 31: Monday 8am – 4pm, Tuesday to Sunday 8am – 8pm, Friday 8am – 10pm. Last entry is 30 minutes before close, and clearance of the exhibition galleries begins 15 minutes before close. The museum is closed on January 1, Orthodox Easter Sunday, May 1, and December 25 & 26; on Orthodox Good Friday, the Museum is open from noon – 6pm, on Orthodox Holy Saturday, from 8am – 3pm.
- Website: theacropolismuseum.gr
- Location: Dionysiou Areopagitou 15
- Telephone: +30 21 0900 0900
- Admission Fee: General Admission 10€ April through October, 5€ November through March. Reduced Admission (students, people under 18, EU seniors) 5€ April through October, 3€ November through March. Reduced admission and free admission tickets are only available from the museum ticket desk, with proper eligibility documents. Children under 5 and EU students are free with proper ID.
- Free Entry: March 6 (Melina Mercouri Day), March 25 (National holiday), May 18 (International Museum Day), October 28 (National holiday).
- Parking: Street parking.
- Nearest Metro: Acropoli
The Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum in Athens opened in 2009 and is located on the Acropolis’ southern slope.
The museum building rests on concrete pilings above the excavated ruins of an ancient Athenian neighborhood.
The museum exclusively houses artifacts sourced from the nearby Acropolis, arranged over three floors.
The beautiful third-floor Parthenon Gallery displays works from the Parthenon in the same arrangement and orientation as the original structure.
Miniature models show how the Parthenon’s pediments would have looked when when the sculptures were still intact.
Large windows in the Parthenon Gallery look out to the Parthenon above.
The museum’s stylish restaurant is located on the second floor. It generally keeps the same hours as the museum, but is open until midnight on Friday and Saturdays.
The restaurant has a large dining terrace that sits right under the Acropolis.
The museum bookstore is adjacent to the restaurant, and stocks a good selection of books for all ages.
The museum’s gift shop is located on the building’s ground floor…
…next to a small café.
Visitors to the Acropolis Museum can also access the archaeological excavation that lies below the building.
Elevated walkways lead visitors through the site.
While building the museum, workers uncovered ancient streets, sewage systems, courtyards, wells, reservoirs, and more.
The nearest metro station to the Acropolis Museum is Acropoli, just 120 meters away.
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About Santorini Dave