Opened in 2009 at a cost of €130m, the Acropolis Museum is a fittingly grand home for the archaeological riches of ancient Athens. The museum contains precious relics discovered by excavations of the Acropolis, dating as far back as 3000BC.
After much anticipation the museum opened its doors to the public in June 2009, to wide acclaim. Standing at the foot of the Acropolis, just 300 metres from the Parthenon, the museum is in the very heart of ancient Athens. The top-floor, glass-panelled Parthenon Gallery gives visitors a breathtaking 360-degree view of the Acropolis site, while the first-floor terrace provides opportunities for the perfect photograph of the Parthenon.
The museum's collections primarily span the period between the fifth century BC and fifth century AD, and tell the story of ancient Athens's social, religious and political development. Sculptures, architectural features and countless artefacts illustrate what life was like during the high period of Classical Greece. The collection also includes finds dating further back, including vases and theatre masks from early Athenian settlements.
Most innovative is the design of the museum to stand above ongoing archaeological excavations, allowing visitors to view first-hand the discoveries being made under the Acropolis. Standing on the glass floor, visitors walk above the ruins of ancient Athens's neighbourhoods.
The combination of outstanding archaeological finds and pioneering presentation techniques, coupled with a magnificent building to house them, makes the Acropolis Museum one of Athens's - if not the world's - best exhibitions of The Ancients.