Athens’ Acropolis Museum: A review of Greece’s modern treasure

The Acropolis Museum in Athens is where ancient Greek history meets contemporary design – and the Parthenon marbles take centre stage.

The controversial modern building

If ever something was on a hiding to nothing, it’s the Acropolis Museum in Athens. It cost €130 million to build, is designed to hold many of Greece’s most important national treasures and was instantly promoted as a tourism flagship.

Naturally, the critics had a field day before it was even opened. Some pointed to the cost, some to the position at the foot of the Acropolis rather than on it, others to the fact that a Swiss architect – Bernard Tschumi – was employed rather than a Greek.

Exterior impressions of the Acropolis Museum

Tschumi, predictably, took most of the flak. His modernistic building hasn’t won universal acclaim. There are none of the Doric columns that grace the Acropolis’ centrepiece, the Parthenon, and a contemporary building by ancient Greece’s key site is always going to be controversial.

It isn’t the Doric columns that the new Acropolis Museum really misses, however – it’s the subtle curves. Tschumi’s museum just looks a little clunky and blocky from the outside – it’s all straight lines, glass and concrete. One suspects that it may date very quickly.

The interior experience

Mercifully, the interior is far more impressive. Tschumi has wisely gone for a minimalist look, allowing the exhibits to do the talking. It’s a light, spacious combo of steel pillars, glass walls and marble.

The sensation of ascending to the Acropolis is recreated by themed collections over different levels. The sloping entrance hall takes visitors through the lower levels of the world’s most famous hill, with artefacts from sanctuaries and temples dedicated to nymphs, heroes and lesser gods.

Acropolis Museum artefacts and displays

The remains – such as a marble table used for funeral sacrifices – are complemented by explanatory panels covering everything from relative popularity of cults to wedding customs. The route through the galleries leads steadily upwards, past dioramas of the Acropolis from different eras.

The museum becomes a highly impressive field of statues, busts and sculptures, all plucked from various temples and sanctuaries that once stood proud. The museum also incorporates great views of the Acropolis, but let’s face it, the Greeks haven’t spent €130 million so that people can look out on something they’ve probably already climbed up.

The Parthenon Gallery

The new Acropolis Museum’s golden crown comes at the top. The Parthenon Gallery, as the name would suggest, is an attempt to simulate what is arguably the greatest work of architecture from the ancient world.

The outer walls are all glass, allowing for 360-degree views of the city, and the whole floor is at a different angle to the rest of the building. It runs precisely parallel to the Parthenon, and the displays are to the exact same dimensions.

Digital recreations and sculptures

In the middle there is a large-screen video presentation explaining the Parthenon’s history and the meaning of the many works of art that adorned it. It uses state-of-the-art graphics to recreate what the building once was before time, fire and trophy hunters had their way.

The real wow factor, however, is generated by the actual sculptures and carvings from the Parthenon themselves. The roof is recreated in the same dimensions, with natural light shining upon it from the same angles. The intricacy of the stonework can be appreciated; friezes depicting scenes from the Battle of Troy, mythical encounters and centaurs fighting lapiths are displayed in order, all cleaned using laser technology.

Missing marbles and international debate

Where the originals are missing – some have been destroyed or are on display in the British Museum in London – plaster replacements are put in their place. Diagrams and explanatory panels tell the stories. The pediments are particularly impressive, with sculptures gradually decreasing in size from the centre to fit the slope of the roof.

They also highlight the museum’s greatest weaknesses and potential achievements. Many major figures are in London, taken by Lord Elgin whilst Athens was under Ottoman rule in the early 19th century. Greece has repeatedly called for the Elgin or Parthenon marbles to be returned.

Why it matters

The British response has largely been to ignore these requests. But one major reason cited for retention – the lack of a suitable display – is no longer valid. Athens now has the perfect pedestal, and the argument for keeping the marbles looks increasingly feeble. Until reunification is achieved, the Acropolis Museum still ranks among the world’s greatest museums.

Ticket prices

Tickets to the Acropolis Museum cost €20.

More Athens travel

Other Athens travel stories on Planet Whitley include:

• Athens hotel recommendations.
• A first-time visitor’s guide to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens.
• How to spend 24 hours in Athens before your cruise.
• A practical guide to the National Garden of Athens.
• Can you visit the Parthenon at night?

You can also choose from a wide range of Athens tours and experiences.