The National Archaeological Museum of Athens is one of the best museums in Greece and in Europe, with lots of artefacts and items from Ancient Greece and it’s a real gem for any history buff of this world. Along with a visit to the Acropolis Temple, Acropolis Museum and the National Historical Museum this is one of the best things to do in Athens.
I recently visited the museum and took lots of photos, so here is everything you need to know:
BEST TOUR OF THE NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM:
Private Tour of National Archaeological Museum of Athens
The National Archaeological Museum in Athens basically hosts thousands of items and artefacts Greece’s ancient history dating back to 3000 BC, which is insane. The building that hosts the Museum was actually built in the late 1800s and opened its gates in 1889 with only a couple of prehistoric and permanent exhibitions (that are still in the Museum). Nowadays, the museum is visited by thousands of people from all over the world, offering a fascinating glimpse into Greece’s glorious past.
Is it actually worth visiting this Museum?
10000%. Let me make this clear: if you have time for a visit to only one museum while in Athens then I beg you to visit this one (and not the Acropolis Museum). I know the Acropolis Museum is a million times better and more fascinating building to be honest, but the things you will see in the Archaeological Museum are the most important items from Ancient Greece that you will see on any other Museum on the planet. This is the Museum you have to visit while in Athens. Period.
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THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM IN ATHENS
- Official Website of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens: https://www.namuseum.gr/en/
- The best way to get to the museum is by the underground metro RED LINE (Line 2) or the GREEN LINE (Line 3) and stop at “Omonia Station” or “Victoria Station” (on Google Maps). The Museum is literally a 5-minute walk from any of these metro stops on Patission Street and the best ticket to get is the ATH.ENA Card for public transport within Athens.
- If you live close to the centre of Athens in areas such as Kolonaki, Koukaki, Syntagma Square, Monastiraki, Plaka and Thission you can literally walk to the National Archaeological Museum as it’s about a 15-20 mins walk from all those areas (I do not recommend staying in Omonia or Victoria areas)
- The ticket for the museum costs 12 euros per adult person (From April 1st until October 31st) and 6 euros (From November 1st until March 31st). Read More about the tickets options here.
- The best website to book a guided tour for the Museum is Get Your Guide, with hundreds of available tours that you can actually book online instantly
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The National Archaeological Museum in Athens
This, being one of the most important museums in Europe it feels surprisingly not busy at all even in August. The building itself is quite big and I can guarantee that you will never find any big queues waiting to enter even in July or August (the peak of the high season).
The Permanent Exhibitions
Conclusion
So…do I recommend this Museum to anyone visiting Athens? 1000000%!
This is possibly the single most important museum in Athens, in Greece and possibly in Europe and a complete testament to the Western Civilisation as we know it today. So, it will be a real miss if you don’t manage to visit it and spend at least a couple of hours there to indulge into Greece’s rich history and past. This is a real treat not only for history buffs but for every human being.
