Culture is undoubtedly one of the most important assets of Athens. The capital has been famous for its art, science, philosophy, history, mythology and theater for thousands of years and this staggering cultural heritage is now majestically housed in its plethora of museums. Museums may vary in capacity and subject matter, but they all have their own charm. Below we have chosen 5 museums that you should not miss visiting in the Greek capital.
The Acropolis Museum
The jewel of the Greek capital’s cultural scene and one of the most important museums in the world, the Acropolis Museum, welcomes more than 1.5 million visitors every year. All the extant objects from the Acropolis monument are exhibited here, categorized into five main historical periods.
The “orchestrated simplicity” of the building, according to its architects Bernard Tschumi and Michalis Fotiadis, serves the purpose of focusing visitors’ emotions and intellect on the works of art. On the second floor of the Museum there is a restaurant with a terrace of 700 sq.m. and a panoramic view of the Acropolis and other historical hills of Athens, while on its ground floor, there is a cafe with a terrace overlooking the archaeological excavation, where you can enjoy a hot or cold drink with a dessert, or an afternoon cocktail.
National Archaeological Museum
Without a doubt, the National Archaeological Museum hosts Greece’s largest and most important collection of artifacts from the Neolithic & Bronze Age, Cycladic, Mycenaean and Roman periods, in a stunning neoclassical building.
The museum’s five permanent collections include thousands of spectacular objects that will take you hours to admire and immerse yourself in the beauty of the ancient Greek world. Before you leave, stop for a coffee at the wonderful cafe in the museum’s garden, surrounded by sculptures, lemon and olive trees.
Byzantine and Christian Museum
One of the top attractions in Kolonaki neighborhood, the Byzantine and Christian Museum, is housed in a charming mansion with a picturesque courtyard that once belonged to the Duchess of Plaisance, a French-American supporter of the Greek Independence. It is one of the most important museums internationally for the art and cultural objects of Byzantine and post-Byzantine times. It has more than 25,000 objects, organized in collections, which date from the 3rd to the 20th centuries and come mainly from the wider Greek, Asia Minor and Balkan areas.
Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation
Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso, etc. and the elite of the Greek teachers are hosted in this museum! It sounds like a dream museum for any capital city in the world, and it certainly was for Athens, too, until October 2019, when the vast and wonderful collection of Vassilis and Eliza Goulandris, who dedicated their lives to collecting modern masterpieces, opened its doors to the public.
This museum offers 11 floors of absolute visual delight, right in the heart of the trendy quarter of Pagrati. Also, Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation hosts periodic exhibitions, educational programs and cultural events, making use of modern museum applications in the field of modern and contemporary art.
Museum of Cycladic Art
If you have spent time on any Cycladic Island, you are probably familiar with the characteristic Cycladic marble figurines with the flat features. The two interconnected buildings of the Museum of Cycladic Art are a great opportunity for visitors to study the important Greek culture of the 3rd millennium BC.
The Museum of Cycladic Art maintains one of the most important and complete collections of Cycladic antiquities in the world, with representative samples of figurines and vases, weapons and tools, as well as ceramics from all phases of the Proto-Cycladic period. Its shop has a large collection of sculpture replicas that make great souvenirs and gifts, while its newly renovated cafe has a contemporary yet typical Cycladic atmosphere.
