See Also:

The New Acropolis Museum Part 1 of 6

The Acropolis Museum Design Part 2 of 6

Museum Design Features Part 3 of 6

The Parthenon Gallery Part 4 of 6

A Visitor Friendly Museum Part 5 of 6
Onsite Excavation

The onsite excavation has brought to light evidence of human life that dates back to prehistoric times and continues to the Byzantine period. Approximately 2500 square meters of the Athenian city will be exhibited, with the architectural remains of the different periods essentially being defined by the three ancient roads revealed on the site. A residential area will be shown, with attention being drawn to the most remarkable findings: the private houses

of the early Christian era (4th-6th century AD) and a residence of the 7th century AD with a large hall and a round tower. Portable finds of the excavation, including sculptures, lamps, vases and coins will be displayed in the locations where they were found.


Find from the Slopes of the Acropolis

The first permanent collection comprises the finds from the slopes of the Acropolis. This collection includes statues, reliefs and inscriptions from the Sanctuary of Asklepios which is located on the south side of the Sacred Rock, the glorious vases and terracottas from the Sanctuary of Nymphe that is located between the Odeion Herodes Atticus and today's pedestrian mall of Dionysiou Areopagitou and the finds from the Sanctuary of Aphodite and Eros found on the northern slope of the Acropolis.


Archaic Collection

The Archaic Collection commences with works from the prehistoric and geometric periods and concludes with the findings of the Severe Period. Unique sculptures and bas-reliefs from the Archaic Acropolis are included in this collection together with terracotta, ceramic and bronze works that were the offerings to the Gods by the people of antiquity.The monuments of the Archaic period were destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC and then buried in pits at the Acropolis of Athens by the Athenians, enabling this rich collection to be available to us today.

Classical Parthenon

The climax of the Museum collection is the magnificent architectural sculptures that decorated the Parthenon in classical times. The frieze with its splendid portrayal of the Panathenaic procession, beginning at the southwest corner and running east and north to meet at the front of the building at the eastern end, ran around the external walls of the cella of the original building. The metopes and the pediments will be exhibited in this collection, together with the building inscriptions and the inscriptions of the Treasury of the Parthenon.
Post Parthenon Period

The Post Parthenon Collection includes the architectural sculptures of the Sanctuary and parapet of the Temple of Athina Nike, the sculptures of the Erectheion frieze, the porch of the Caryatids, architectural members from the Erectheion and the Propylaia as well as the building inscriptions and votive reliefs in which the foreign affairs policy of Athens and its relationships with other Greek states is recorded.
Roman Collection

This collection refers to the period of the Roman Empire. It includes Roman copies of classical sculptures and in particular sculptural portraits, some of which are masterpieces.
The Exhibits

For the first time ever all the surviving treasures of the Acropolis can be seen together in one place. Works currently held in storage, in other Athenian museums and museums abroad will be brought together within the one museum close to their original location. Visitors will have the opportunity to view the Acropolis treasures exhibited in historical sequence, and clustered according to their original location on the Sacred Rock
in exhibition space totaling 14,000 square metres. The permanent collections of the Museum will comprise objects from antiquity. Findings of the Byzantine and later periods will be exhibited in the temporary gallery of the Museum, together with other occasional exhibitions.

(Posting date 24 January 2007)

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