2011/10/27

A DAY AT THE ACROPOLIS MUSEUM



Greece is known for its historical architecture, ruins and culture. The Acropolis located in Athens, Greece is a tourism must-see. Beneath The Acropolis, lays The Acropolis Museum, which is considered to be one of the world’s best museums and is a destination spot for visitors from around the world.
The new Acropolis Museum is housed in a state-of-the-art building designed by Swiss-born architect Bernard Tschumi. With an area of 226,000 square feet - 10 times larger than the old museum - the new building feels open and full of light. Its design has received mixed reviews from locals, but there is no doubt it is a striking and highly functional work of architecture. The new Acropolis Museum opened to the public in June 2009.

The first Acropolis Museum was built in 1865 southeast of the Parthenon. For a more detailed and up close at this beautiful museum, look at this You Tube video.
 

A day at the Acropolis Museum

The new program ‘A day at the Acropolis Museum’ invites visitors to spend a day with us at the Museum enjoying a range of activities. Here are just a few things to enjoy while spending time at the Acropolis Museum.

Stroll through the galleries
Take a stroll through the exhibition and speak to a museum archaeologist - host available to answer any questions or queries you have. From the second floor balcony see a special and unexpected view of the Archaic Gallery. Visit the Parthenon Gallery on the third floor with its unique views of the Acropolis.

Conserving the Caryatids
The Acropolis Museum has commenced the conservation and restoration of the Caryatids, the Kore from the south porch of the Erechtheion temple. Visitors have the opportunity to watch conservators do the delicate work of cleaning the Caryatids with advanced laser technology.

Family backpacks
The Museum invites families to search for the 12 different representations of the Goddess Athena amongst the exhibits of the permanent collection. Families can borrow a family backpack from the Museum’s Information Desk by leaving an identification card. Backpacks are available on a first-in first-served basis.
More information...

Film
Visitors can learn more about the Parthenon sculpted decoration from a video projected on the third floor at the entrance to the Parthenon Gallery.

Reading area and wi-fi
The Museum offers the reading area with free wi-fi internet access on the second floor outside the restaurant. Visitors can browse through books relating to the Parthenon, relax or use their laptop.
Museum gifts
Treat yourself to a small memento of your visit or one for friends and family. Select a gift from the wide range of goods available from the Museum shops. Find books in the second floor shop and gifts and stationary on the ground floor.

Friday nights at the Museum
Every Friday the Museum is open until 10 p.m. every Friday and the restaurant is open between 8 p.m. and 12 midnight serving a special menu, beautiful night views of the Acropolis and great value for money. For reservations, please contact the restaurant during Museum opening hours on +30 210 9000915 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +30 210 9000915 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.



This atrium area at the entrance of the museum shows visitors the excavation beneath the museum. The connection of history meets modern architecture is a sight to see.


The Gallery of the Slopes of the Acropolis

After crossing the ground floor lobby towards the turn styles of the Museum, the first collection lies before the visitor. An ascending, wide glass-floored gallery houses finds from the slopes of the Acropolis. The occasionally transparent floor provides a view of the archaeological excavation, while its upward slope alludes to the ascent to the Acropolis. 

The Gallery of the Slopes of the Acropolis houses finds from the sanctuaries that were founded on the slopes of the Acropolis, as well as objects that Athenians used in everyday life from all historic periods. On the left hand side, finds from some of the key sanctuaries of the slopes are exhibited. On the right hand side, finds from the smaller sanctuaries and settlements that developed on the slopes of the Hill are displayed. In antiquity, the slopes of the Sacred Rock constituted the transition zone between the city and its most famous sanctuary. This was the area where official and popular cults, as well as large and small sanctuaries existed alongside private houses.


The Archaic Gallery 

Archaic is the period throughout the 7th century BC, until the end of the Persian Wars (480/79 BC). This period is characterized by the development of the city-state and the transition from aristocracy to tyranny and, eventually, democracy. It is also characterized by great achievements in the economy, art and intellectual life.

In the Archaic Gallery, for the first time, visitors have the opportunity to view exhibits from all sides as three-dimensional exhibits. With the benefit of the changing natural light, visitors can discern and discover the delicate surface variations of sculptures and select the vantage point from which to observe the exhibits. 


In the south side of the Gallery, depictions of young women (the Korai), the horse riders (the Hippies) and many others provide a striking picture of the Acropolis in the Archaic Period.




The Caryatids from the south porch of the Erechtheion.

The area around the Erechtheion was considered the most sacred of the Acropolis. The Erechtheion was a complex marble building in the Ionic order, an exceptional artwork. The eastern part of the Temple was dedicated to Athena, whilst the western part was dedicated to local hero Boutes, Hephaistos and other gods and heroes. Thus, the Erechtheion was a temple with multiple functions, housing older and newer cults, and the site of the ‘Sacred Tokens’, the marks made by Poseidon’s trident and the olive tree, the gift of Athena to the city of Athens. 

Several interpretations about the Caryatids have been put forth. The most convincing one supports the view that they constituted the visible portion of the grave of Kekrops and were the choephoroi who paid tribute to the glorious dead. The main building and the north porch were surrounded by a continuous Ionic frieze decorated with images of gods, heroes and mortals, in scenes related to the ancient cults of the Erechtheion. The figures were separately carved in Parian marble and affixed on slabs of grey Eleusinian limestone.





The Parthenon Gallery

In the centre of the Parthenon Gallery on the 3rd floor, the visitor can observe a video presentation about the Parthenon and the sculptural decoration of the monument. In the same area are presented ancient marble inscriptions recording detailed cost records of the construction of the Parthenon and the statue of Athena Parthenos. As a result, visitors are informed on how democratic bodies functioned in the 5th century BC.

The installation of the frieze of the Parthenon on the rectangular cement core that has exactly the same dimensions as the cella of the Parthenon enables a comprehensive viewing of the details of the frieze, as one takes the perimetric walk of the Gallery. The narrative of the story of the Panathenaic Procession is pieced together with a combination of the original blocks of the frieze and cast copies of the pieces in museums abroad, such as the British Museum and the Louvre.




What to See
The Acropolis Museum houses all of the portable objects removed from the Acropolis since 1834, with the exception of a few bronzes displayed in the National Archeological Museum and inscriptions in the Epigraphical Museum. The museum's artifacts are primarily religious in nature, including a fascinating collection of ancient statues used in religious ceremonies, and they provide a fascinating visual history of Greek religion.
The permanent collection includes the following exhibits:
·       Slopes of the Acropolis - including a look at an ongoing excavation beneath the museum
·       The Acropolis in the Archaic Age
The Parthenon Room - display of all friezes remaining in Greece (including 

·       portraits of Poseidon, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, and Eros) and a sweeping view of the Partheon through a glass wall
·       Other Monuments of the Classical Acropolis
·       The Temple of Artemis Vravrona
·       Classical and Hellenistic Offerings
·       Roman Offerings
In addition to the Parthenon frieze, notable highlights of the collection include several statues and offerings from the Archaic Temple of Athena and the original Caryatids salvaged from the Erechtheion Temple (replicas are displayed on the original site). 

The Acropolis Museum is a treat in itself and I hope you enjoyed this tour through it. Whether you are able to see it in person, or can just peruse it here, all can share the rich history and culture of this historical attraction.
 


 
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