Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum in Athens houses a large number of artifacts from a single archaeological site: the Acropolis of Athens.
It is one of the most fascinating museums in the world, and your visit to the Acropolis isn’t really complete until you tour the museum as well, especially if you are a history or architecture buff.
The Acropolis Museum has a history of its own! Originally established in 1865, it is currently housed in a building not too far from the Acropolis site.
Spread over four floors, permanent collections include sculptural decorations from the Parthenon and extensive ruins from the ancient Athenian neighborhood.
This article tells you everything you need to know about the Acropolis Museum in Athens, and how to visit.
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The History of the Acropolis Museum
In 1834, the Acropolis of Athens was designated an archaeological site by Greece, and efforts began to collect and protect the artifacts on the site.
The Acropolis Museum came into being in 1865, in order to house and display the growing number of antiquities found on the Acropolis rock.
The museum was initially housed in a hollow just southeast of the Parthenon, on the site of the Acropolis. A second small building was constructed in 1888, when space ran out in the original building.
After World War II, an entirely new structure was created, and continued to house the museum all the way until 2007.
The Committee for the Conservation of the Acropolis Monuments (ESMA), created in 1975, eventually brought up the idea of a new building, this time, not on the Acropolis Rock.
A design competition was held in the year 2000, and the design submitted by renowned architect Bernard Tschumi in conjunction with Michael Photiades won, leading to the construction of the museum you see today. The museum opened to the public at this location in 2009.
Collections at the Acropolis Museum in Athens
There are four major exhibition areas in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.
Gallery of the Acropolis Slopes
The Gallery of the Acropolis Slopes, located on the ground floor of the museum, displays artifacts found on the slopes of the Acropolis, which were home to sanctuaries, private residences, and venues for concerts and performances.
As a very cool design element, the floor slopes upwards, so that the visitor gradually ascends, somewhat like climbing up the Acropolis Rock itself. There are glass panels in the floor that allow for a visual connection with the excavated ruins housed in the base of the building.
Numerous artifacts are displayed in glass cases, including objects from the daily lives of the Athenians living in the settlement and objects from the sanctuaries, such as carvings, reliefs, and statues.
History of the Acropolis Gallery
On the first floor is a chronological history of the Acropolis, all the way from the 2nd millennium BC to the end of antiquity (late 5th century AD).
There are numerous sculptures to be admired in this section, along with bits and pieces, large and small, from the monuments.
The Parthenon Gallery
The top floor of the museum is reserved for artifacts from the Parthenon. The exhibits are displayed in a room with walls of glass that wrap around a rectangular core.
The orientation and dimensions of this core match those of the inner chamber, or cella, of the Parthenon. The steel columns in the hall match the number of columns in the Parthenon.
You can see some of the Ionic frieze, with the beautiful reliefs, as well as some of the metopes, squares of Pentelic marble with carvings. You can also see the statues that were on the two pediments of the Parthenon.
While some of the sculptures are the original marble ones, others are plaster copies — the originals are on display at the British Museum and other museums outside Greece.
Basement Ruins
At the base of the building are extensive ruins of an Athenian settlement that were discovered during excavations at the site.
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Where is the Acropolis Museum located?
The Acropolis Museum is located just about 300 meters (about .19 mile) from the monuments of the Acropolis, and is easy to visit just after your visit to the archaeological site.
The address is Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, Athina 117 42. See the location of the Acropolis Museum on a map.
What are the opening hours of the Acropolis Museum?
The opening hours of the Acropolis Museum and the archaeological excavations at the base of the museum vary by season. Winter and summer hours are detailed below:
Winter hours for the Acropolis Museum in Athens (November 1 through March 31)
Monday through Thursday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Last entry: 4:30 p.m.)
Friday: 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Last entry: 9:30 p.m.)
Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Last entry: 7:30 p.m.)
Winter Hours for the Excavation (November 1 through March 31)
Monday through Sunday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Last entry: 4:30 p.m.)
Summer hours for the Acropolis Museum in Athens (April 1 through October 31)
Monday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Last entry: 4:30 p.m.)
Tuesday through Thursday: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Last entry: 7:30 p.m.)
Friday: 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. (Last entry: 9:30 p.m.)
Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Last entry: 7:30 p.m.)
Winter Hours for the Excavation (April 1 through October 31)
Monday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Last entry: 4:30 p.m.)
Tuesday through Sunday: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Last entry: 7:30 p.m.)
Please note that the exhibit areas will begin to be cleared by staff starting about 15 minutes prior to closing time.
The Acropolis Museum in Athens is closed on January 1, Easter Sunday, May 1, and December 25 and 26. The museum has reduced hours on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
Before your visit, check the museum website for up-to-date opening hours and any special closures.
Is there an entrance fee for the Acropolis Museum?
Yes, the Acropolis Museum in Athens charges an entrance fee, other than on free admission days — March 6, March 25, May 18, and October 28 of each year.
At the time of writing, general admission to the Acropolis Museum in Athens is 20€ and reduced admission is 10€.
The following visitors are eligible for reduced admission:
— Kids and youth between the ages of 6 and 25 from non-EU countries (passport
must be provided for verification of age and country of origin)
— Seniors (over 65) from Greece or other EU countries (passport or ID card for verification of age and country of origin required)
— Escorting teachers of school visits from non-EU countries.
The following visitors are eligible for free admission:
— Kids and youth up to the age of 25, from EU nations (ID card or passport for verification of age and country of origin required).
— Kids up to the age of 5, from non-EU countries (passport for verification of age and country of origin required).
Many other categories of visitors, such as persons with disabilities, scientists, professors of archaeology, journalists, etc. are eligible or free admission. Click here for detailed information.
How to get Acropolis Museum tickets
General admission tickets for the Acropolis Museum can be purchased online or at the ticket desk at the museum on the date of your visit.
Visitors seeking reduced or free admission tickets can only purchase them at the ticket desk at the museum, upon verification of eligibility.
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Gift Shop, Cafe, Restaurant, and Restrooms at the Acropolis Museum
The gift shop at the Acropolis Museum in Athens is located on the ground floor, as is the cafe. There is a book shop on the second (mezzanine) floor, where the Museum restaurant is also located.
The museum shops are open when the museum is open and close 15 minutes before the museum closes on any given day. The cafe and restaurant are also open during the hours the museum is open. On Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant stays open until midnight.
There are restrooms on all levels at the Acropolis Museum. Accessible restrooms are available.
How to get to the Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum is located right by the Acropolis archaeological site in the heart of Athens and is easily accessed on foot if you are within walking distance, or by public transport.
You can also arrive by bicycle or drive here if you have a rental car (there are parking garages within a few minutes’ walking distance). But public transport is more convenient if you are not within walking distance.
Arrive by metro and alight at the Akropoli Station, by tram and alight at the Leoforos Vouliagmenis Station, by trolley and alight at the Makrigianni Station, or by bus and alight at the Makrigianni Station.
Popular Options for Visiting the Acropolis of Athens 🏛️
— Acropolis timed-entry ticket with optional audio guide
— Combined pass for the Acropolis plus up to 5 other famous archaeological sites
— Acropolis Guided Tour (including the Parthenon)
— Guided tour of the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum, which houses significant artifacts
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