Question about Athens, Greece

[Frisbie]

Hi, all. I am taking a cruise next month that starts in Athens (Piraeus to be exact). I am staying in Athens a couple extra days, and I'm curious if the New Acropolis Museum has opened yet. I'm surprised how little current information is available on the museum on-line. I get the sense that perhaps a small part of the museum is now open, with the remainder opening sometime later this year, but I can't tell for sure. I would appreciate any information from those who have been to Athens recently about the status of the opening of the museum (and, if it's not open, whether the existing museum is still open and still displaying all of its objects). Thanks much.

[anniecat]

We were there last November...the word on the street is "expect an opening late 2009". Just offhand, I'd say...even later, judging by the way it looked to us:rolleyes: But the Agora museum is great, the national Archeology Museum is great and the little museum next to the Street of the Tombs is also great. and don't miss the Benaki (sp?)

Tons to see...great town, but try to stay in the Plaka area for the best ambience.

[ab0si]

The old museum is closed. By the end of March everything was transfered to the new museum (include the milliard objects not on regular display). A portion of the ground floor of the new museum is open for two hours a day. I think what you see is mostly about the process of building the museum and transfer of the objects rather than of the objects themselves.

 

The powers that be are still claiming an opening in "late 2008." I'm willing to give 2 to 1 against. <grin>

 

Paul

[photographia]

We were in Athens in June 2007 and they told us it would be open "later this year." Right. In any case, as another poster already mentioned, the National Archeology Museum (which is across town) is stupendous and not to be missed.

 

FYI, a portion of the new museum, whenever it finally opens, will deliberately be empty. They're leaving big, obvious empty spaces for the Elgin Marbles, which they want Britain to return to Greece. Since this isn't likely to happen anytime soon, that means a part of the new museum won't have anything in it!