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The 10 Best Museums to Visit in Greece

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Introduction

When you hear the word Greece, what is the first thing that strikes your mind? Given its magnificent ancient marvels, Greece is one of the unique locations in the world that is renowned for its glorious museums of historical displays. With its rich historical background, Greece is a hub for wonderful exhibits of cultural artefacts and antiquities. Wandering through the intriguing museums of Greece would allow you to immerse yourself in the penetrating history of the ancient land. Take an interesting tour of these fascinating museums and immerse yourself into Greece’s history.

The top ten museums in Greece

No trip to Greece would be complete without visiting the fascinating museums. So, here are the top upscale museums that are worth visiting on your Greece holiday packages. Get ready to be awed by the glorious past by visiting these amazing museums.

  • The Acropolis Museum, Athens
  • National Archaeological Museum, Athens
  • The Archaeological Museum of Olympia, Olympia
  • The Museum of the Royal Tombs at Aigai, Vergina
  • The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, Crete
  • Delphi Archaeological Museum, Delphi
  • The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki
  • Benaki Museum, Athens
  • The Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, Rhodes
  • The Museum of Prehistoric Thera, Santorini

1.  The Acropolis Museum, Athens

To experience the greatest cultural trip, the Acropolis Museum is the best location, deserving to be on the top of your itinerary. The museum’s major attractions are the incredible miniatures, sculptures and artworks of the Persian, Roman, Ottoman, and Venetian Empires.

Entrance fee: 5 euros (Rs. 398)

Museum Highlights:

  • Temple of Athena Nike
  • The Gallery of the 5th century BC
  • The Parthenon Gallery
  • The Archaic Acropolis Gallery

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Image Credits: Unsplash

2. National Archaeological Museum, Athens

The majority of displays of the National Archaeological Museum are from the 19th century including a wide variety collection of ancient miniature statues, gravestones and bronze weapons. The location is regarded as one of the greatest museums in the world and has the largest collection of Greek antiquities. The museum also features a library of more than 20,000 books and manuscripts from ancient Greece.

Entrance fee: 5 euros (Rs. 398)

Museum Highlights:

  • Prehistoric and Egyptian Antiquities
  • Santorini Collections
  • The bronze collection of the 19th and early 20th century
  • Cypriot Antiquities

3. The Archaeological Museum of Olympia, Olympia

This museum is a significant place, sheltering the ancient artefacts retrieved from the excavation of the Zeus sanctuary. The place also exhibits the longest history of Olympian games from the prehistoric era. The museum offers a special exhibit honoring the achievements of the greatest mathematician, astronomer, and inventor, the Archimedes.

Entrance fee: 5 euros (Rs. 398)

Museum Highlights:

  • The Sacred Precinct of Zeus
  • The Palaestra
  • The Temple of Hera
  • The Ancient Stadium and Archway
  • Pheidias’ Workshop

4. The Museum of the Royal Tombs at Aigai, Vergina

Take a tour of the historic Kingdom of Macedonia and explore the burial chamber of Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great. The Museum of the Royal Tombs of Aigai is home to the ancient royal tombs constructed by the Kingdom of Macedon in Aigai. As the place offers a collection of ancient and prominent tombs of Mycenae, Troy, and the Egyptian Valley, visiting this place provides you with an insight into the ancient capital of Macedonia.

Entrance fee: 12 euros (Rs. 956)

Museum Highlights:

  • Tomb of King Philip II of Macedon
  • The Theatre of Aigai
  • The Tombs of the Queens
  • The Aigai Palace

5. The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, Crete

The museum is popular for its most comprehensive collection of artefacts from the Minoan civilization of Crete. The majority of the displays are artefacts and ruins from Knossos and other Cretan Minoan sites. Its collections are also from the Neolithic to Roman eras, with 5,500 years of history. The museum is renowned for housing numerous priceless artefacts from Europe’s oldest civilization:

Entrance fee: 10 euros (Rs. 796)

Museum Highlights:

  • The Bull’s Head, Rhyton
  • The Bull-Leaper’s fresco
  • Snake Goddess Figurines
  • Kamares Vessels
  • The Hagia Triada sarcophagus

Image credits: Unsplash

6. Delphi Archaeological Museum, Delphi

Yet another significant place in Greece is the Delphi Archaeological Museum. Established in 1861, the museum houses the artefacts discovered at the Panhellenic sanctuary of Delphi, which range in time from the Late Helladic to the Early Byzantine periods. The museum, which is set up over fourteen rooms on two levels, mostly exhibits prominent statues, such as the Charioteer of Delphi and the Mural of the Siphnian Treasury.

Entrance fee: 12 euros (Rs. 956)

Museum Highlights:

  • The Athenian Treasury
  • The Castalian Spring
  • The Temple of Apollo
  • The Ancient Theatre

7. The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki

The collections of this museum are from the ancient city of Thessaloniki and also from the province of Macedonia. The museum preserves the antique collections from the prehistoric, archaic, classical, Hellenistic, and Roman eras. To have a clear vision of prehistoric Macedonia, visit the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki.

Entrance fee: 8 euros (Rs. 637)

Museum Highlights:

  • Derveni krater
  • The Statue of Harpocrates
  • The Head of Serapis
  • Bronze helmet and gold mask from the cemetery of Sindos
  • In Macedonia, the tomb of Agia Paraskevi (Marble Door)

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Image Credits: Unsplash

8. Benaki Museum, Athens

Established in 1930, the Benaki Museum was built by Antonis Benakis in memory of his father, Emmanuel Benakis. The museum houses Greek artwork dating from prehistoric to present times, as well as a sizable collection of Islamic and Asian artworks. This museum in Athens displays the different eras of civilizations and cultures that have affected the development of Greece and is home to over 100,000 objects from Greek history.

Entrance fee: 7 euros (Rs. 557)

Museum Highlights:

  • Archangel Michael by Theodoros Poulakis
  • Adoration of the Magi by El Greco
  • Mark the Evangelist by Emmanuel Tzanes
  • Mitre of 1715

9. The Archaeological Museum of Rhodes, Rhodes

Located in the mediaeval city of Rhodes, the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes is an impressive structure which served as a hospital for the Knights of Saint John. The Museum houses several collections of archaeological artefacts from various regions of Rhodes and the surrounding islands, including the Pyxis of the Fikellura and the Statue of the Crouching Aphrodite from the 1st century BC.

Entrance fee: 6 € (Rs. 478).

Museum Highlights:

  • Head of Helios
  • Statue of Crouching Venus
  • Mosaic Floor Gallery
  • Attic red-figured Pelike

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Image Credits: Unsplash

10. The Museum of Prehistoric Thera, Santorini

The museum offers a sizable collection of ancient objects discovered during several excavations on Santorini. It comprises collections of pottery, sculptures, jewellery, wall paintings, and ceremonial artefacts. The place exhibits intricate representations of the colossal art form of wall painting and displays of Early Cycladic marble sculptures and Neolithic pottery.

Entrance fee: 3 euros (Rs. 239)

Museum Highlights:

  • Early Cycladic marble figurines
  • A bronze incense holder from Akrotiri, 1700 BC.
  • The Middle Cycladic pottery collection

Book your Greece trip at Pickyourtrail and get ready for a fascinating journey. Explore these amazing museums as part of your package and enjoy a fun time in knowing the fascinating culture and history of Greece.

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