44 Patission street, Athens 10682
Tel: ++30 2108217724, 2108211435
Fax:++30 2108230800
Email: protocol@eam.culture.gr
Web page: www.culture.gr

Winter opening hours:
Tuesday – Sunday: 8.30 – 15.00
Monday: 10.30 – 19.30 (subject to change)

Summer opening hours:
Tuesday – Sunday: 8.00 – 19.30
Monday: 13.00 – 19.30

The National Archaeological Museum of Athens is one of the largest and most significant museums of ancient Greek Art. The building of the museum was inaugurated in 1889, was expanded in 1932-1939 and today houses approximately 8000 square metres of exhibition space. Its halls host collections of artifacts projecting the long evolution of Ancient Greek art and history spanning from the prehistoric times (6800 BC) to the late Roman Era (4th century A.D.). The Museum’s collections, some of the richest in their kind, comprise the following:

Prehistoric Collection

This collection features unique artifacts representative of the great civilizations that flourished in the Aegean from the 7th millennium through 1100 BC. Of them, the most interest attract treasures of the Golden Mycenae, the Linear B tablets, the Neolithic objects the enigmatic Cycladic art, marble statuettes and murals from the island of Thera.

 Collection of Sculpture

One thousand works of ancient sculptors are exhibited in chronological order spanning from the early Archaic Era (7th century BC) through late antiquity (4th century A.D.). Unique among them are the archaic Kouroi statues and the Hellenistic grave steles. The collection exhibits were found in temples, necropolis and public buildings throughout Greece. In a bid to project the art spirit dominating each era through the variety in expression, bronze masterpieces of ancient sculptors, as well as unique urns of various eras are exhibited next to the marble statues.

 Collection of Bronzes

This is one of the richest collections of bronze originals. Zeus of Artemision, the statuette of a horseman and other large bronze statues are unique world-wide. Great artistic expression is also exhibited in hundreds of small objects of micro-art and micro-sculpture depicting gods, athletes, heroes, warriors, women, priests, sphinxes and other demonic figures.

 Pottery and Minor Art Collection

This collection presents the evolution of Greek pottery stretching from the 11th century through the 4th century BC, featuring approximately 2500 urns and vessels. The main body of this collection comprises the Attica urns, also including a selection of same-era pottery made in local workshops, which either influenced or were influenced by them or developed independently. The pottery-evolution collection is occasionally interrupted by small or large thematic groups containing finds from major Temples or featuring themes of special interest such as funerary customs, the woman in antiquity, the child and sports.

Egyptian Art Collection

This collection comprises items dating from the pre-dynasty period (5000 BC) to the Roman occupation era, included. It comprises statues, urns, idols, sarcophagi, mummies, jewels and a plethora of elaborate artifacts.

 The halls of the National Archaeological Museum of Athens host educational programmes for Greek Primary students, as well as for visitors from abroad.