For the first time the ancient Athenian neighborhood under the Acropolis Museum opens
In a few days, tens of thousands of visitors will have the unique opportunity to explore an ancient neighborhood of Athens located beneath the Acropolis Museum.
The excavated area, featuring houses, workshops, baths and streets of an ancient Athenian neighborhood, will be open to the public from June 21. This opening coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Acropolis Museum.
The official launch of the excavation will take place on Friday, June 21, 2019, as announced by the President of the Acropolis Museum, Dimitris Pantermalis. “In essence, we are opening a new floor of the museum that will shed light on the daily life of the ancient Athenians in the shadow of the Acropolis,” the professor noted.
The site spans an area of 4,000 square meters, and includes remnants of an ancient Athenian neighborhood that existed from classical to Byzantine times. Informative signs will highlight the most significant buildings whose remains have survived. Visitors will be able to take in a panoramic view of the impressive architectural palimpsest of the excavation by following a P-shaped route, walking not on the ancient paths but on a metal walkway with a railing.
In about a year’s time, a large display case, approximately 36 m long, will be installed. It will exhibit more than 1,000 portable finds, divided into thematic categories. Additionally, there will be an exhibition area featuring sculptures, mosaics, and other important exhibits. “What’s innovative is that we view the excavation as both an exhibit and a floor of the museum. In other words, it’s been integrated into the museum’s architecture,” Pantermalis stated.
Professor Dimitris Pantermalis announced the unveiling of this unique new “exhibition”, saying “The new section of the museum that we will celebrate is the opening of the excavation, after ten years and many adventures.”
“We don’t have an excavation that we’ve housed. We have incorporated an excavation into the architecture of the museum as an exhibit. It’s an unusual concept, but it’s not just a figure of speech; it was necessary to do so in order for the excavation to be linked to the Acropolis Museum,” the president of the Acropolis Museum explained.
“Our idea was not to create a traditional exhibition space within the excavation, but an open exhibition space that is compatible with the excavation and allows the visitor to experience this alternation.”
This is just one of the surprises included in the museum’s 10th anniversary events.