# Acropolis Museum — Athens, Greece

> The Acropolis Museum is an archaeological museum focused on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens. The museum was built to house every artifact found on the rock and on its feet, from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece.

## Visitor facts
- Opening hours: Monday to Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Friday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Admission: €15 standard admission (April–October), €10 (November–March)
- Free entry: Under 18 free · 6 March (Melina Mercouri Day) free · 18 April (International Monuments Day) free · First Sunday of November–March free
- Address: 15 Dionysiou Areopagitou St, Athens 117 42, Greece
- Time needed: 2 hours
- Official website: https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/en
- Facts verified: 2026-06-30

## Highlights
- Caryatid Porch (five of six Caryatids) — Pheidias workshop · c. 421–406 BCE
- Parthenon Frieze (fragments) — Pheidias and workshop · c. 447–432 BCE
- Kritios Boy — Kritios (attr.) · c. 480 BCE

## FAQ
**Is the Acropolis Museum the same as the Acropolis ruins?**
No — the Acropolis Museum is a modern building at the foot of the Acropolis hill, opened in 2009, which houses the artefacts found on the Acropolis rock and its surrounding slopes. The ancient ruins themselves — the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Propylaea, and the Temple of Athena Nike — are on the hilltop and require a separate ticket (€20, or included in a combined Athens antiquities pass). The museum and the ruins are a 5-minute walk apart.

**What are the Caryatids at the Acropolis Museum?**
The Caryatids are six sculpted female figures that served as architectural columns on the south porch of the Erechtheion (421–407 BCE) on the Acropolis. Five of the originals are in the Acropolis Museum; the sixth was removed by Lord Elgin in 1803 and is in the British Museum in London. In the museum's gallery, a cast marks the place where the sixth Caryatid should stand — a deliberate visual argument for the return of the Elgin Marbles. The figures in the museum are originals; replicas now stand on the Erechtheion itself.

**What is the Parthenon Gallery at the Acropolis Museum?**
The Parthenon Gallery occupies the entire top floor of the Acropolis Museum — a glass-enclosed hall oriented at the same angle as the Parthenon itself (visible through the windows on the hilltop above). It displays the surviving original sections of the Parthenon frieze alongside plaster casts of the sections held by the British Museum, creating a complete visual narrative of the marble decoration. The empty spaces and different-coloured casts vs. originals make the scale of what is missing in London viscerally clear.

**What does the Acropolis Museum cost and what are its opening hours?**
Standard admission is €15 (April–October) or €10 (November–March). Opening hours vary by season: in summer (April–October), the museum is open Monday to Thursday 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Friday 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM, and Saturday–Sunday 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM. In winter (November–March), hours are shorter — check the official website (theacropolismuseum.gr) before visiting. Friday evenings in summer are particularly atmospheric. The museum's glass floor over the in-situ archaeological site is visible from the main entrance.

**Can I see the Elgin Marbles at the Acropolis Museum?**
The Acropolis Museum displays the surviving original Parthenon sculptures that remain in Athens, along with plaster casts of those held by the British Museum in London (the 'Elgin Marbles'). The casts are a different colour from the originals to make clear which pieces are absent. Greece has formally requested the return of the sculptures since 1983. The museum was explicitly designed to demonstrate that Athens has the facilities and context to reunite the collection — the top-floor Parthenon Gallery was built with space for the Marbles in mind.

**How long should I spend at Acropolis Museum?**
Plan 2 hours for the highlights. Add time for temporary exhibitions, the museum shop, and café.


Source: https://worldmuseumguide.org/museums/acropolis-museum/ — World Museum Guide, independent and ad-free.