5 interesting museums in Greece that give reason for a trip

Greece may be most popular for its beaches but it is also a country with a rich culture. Its history, culture, and nature are greatly depicted in the numerous museums that are spread around the country. In this article, we present the most interesting museums that give a good reason for a trip.

# The Acropolis Museum

Surely we could not start this article with any other museum than the Acropolis Museum. It is often referred to as the New Acropolis Museum as opposed to the old museum that was found on the actual hill of the Acropolis in Athens. The building of the old museum is empty today and is found behind the Parthenon Temple. The new Acropolis Museum is found right opposite the Acropolis Hill and distinguishes with the fantastic modern architecture.

This museum was inaugurated in June 2009 and has three floors. The third floor hosts a representation of the Parthenon frieze with real fragments from the temple and copies from the pieces that are today exhibited at the British Museum. The other two floors of the museum host impressive findings from excavations on the Acropolis Hill and the surrounding region.

The most impressive thing about the museum’s architecture is that glass is extensively used to allow natural light. Even floors are made with glass, providing a fantastic prospect when walking on the premises of the museum. In the yard, there is an open excavated site that shows part of the ancient town, on top of which the museum is built.

# Olympia Archaeological Museum

Next to the archaeological site of Ancient Olympia is the Archaeological Museum of Olympia. This is one of the largest and most impressive museums in Greece. It was inaugurated in 1984 and its exhibits were relocated there from the old archaeological museum, which now hosts the Museum of Ancient Olympic Games. The Archaeological Museum of Ancient Olympia has many rooms and hosts some of the most marvelous ancient Greek marvels, including the statue of Hermes of Praxiteles, the statue of Nike of Paeonius and the wonderful frieze from the temple of Olympian Zeus.

# Delphi Archaeological Museum

It is not only Olympia that has an impressive museum… so does Delphi. The Archaeological Museum of Delphi is found right next to the ancient site and hosts findings from excavations on the site and the close regions. At the entrance of the museum is an impressive scale model of how Ancient Delphi really looked like. At the rooms of the museum, guests will see vases, coins, jewelry, offerings to god Apollo and fantastic ancient Greek statues, such as the Sphinx of Naxos, the two statues of Kouros and the famous Charioteer of Delphi.

# Achilleion Palace

Although it is not a classic museum, the Palace of Achilleion is among the most impressive sightseeing in Corfu. Located in the center of the island, 10 km from Corfu Town, this palace was built by Empress Elisabeth of Austria (widely known as Sissi) at the end of the 19th century and was dedicated to her favorite Greek mythology hero, Achilles. This is why she named the called the palace Achilleion and this is why there are many statues and wall paintings dedicated to Achilles in the premises of the palace, including the statue of Dying Achilles and a panoramic fresco on the upper level of the main hall named “The Triumph of Achilles”.

The building is an impressive structure with two floors. The ground floor has a chapel, study rooms and bedrooms, all furnished with personal items of Empress Sissi and the German Kaizer Wilhelm II, the later owner of the palace. Until a few years ago, the upper floors were closed for renovation but today they are open to the public. The palace is surrounded by a fantastic garden with statues. At the patio, there is a line of statues representing ancient Greek muses and goddesses. Do not miss it, this palace is like a fairytale setting!

# Meteora Natural History Museum

This museum probably comes as a surprise in this article but we can tell you that it is worth the visit… This is the newest entry to the few-in-number natural history museums in Greece and has three sections: the Mammals and Birds on the ground floor and the Mushrooms on the first floor. This modern museum hosts a fantastic collection of wildlife that resides in the Rocks of Meteora and in the wider region.

Very impressive is also the Mushroom Collection with mushrooms of fantastic shapes and colors. The Meteora Natural History Museum is housed in a newly-constructed building in the center of Kalambaka, the base town for Meteora.