Acropolis Area - Athens - page 50

Parthenon Gallery
The museum's crowning glory, this top-floor glass atrium built in alignment with the
Parthenon showcases the Parthenon's pediments, metopes and 160m frieze. For the first
time in over 200 years, the frieze is displayed in sequence, depicting the Panathenaic Pro-
cession. Interspersed between golden-hued originals are white plaster replicas of missing
pieces (the controversial Parthenon Marbles taken by Lord Elgin in 1801).
Caryatids
Five grand Caryatids, the world-famous maiden columns that held up the porch of the
Erechtheion, rule the mezannine (the sixth is in the British Museum). Nearby, find a giant
floral akrotirion (decorative element at the end of a gable of a classical building) that once
crowned the southern ridge of the Parthenon pediment.
Foyer Gallery
Finds from the slopes of the Acropolis fill the entryway gallery, while the glass floor al-
lows glimpses of the ruins below.
Top Tips
› Beneath the entrance look for the ruins of an ancient Athenian neighbourhood, which have been cleverly incor-
porated into the museum design after being uncovered during excavations.
› Leave time for the movie describing the history of the Acropolis (top floor) and the fine museum shop (ground
floor).
› Last admission is a half-hour before closing, and galleries are cleared 15 minutes before closing.
› Bring ID if you are under 18 or a student for free admission. EU citizens who are over 65 are also free with ID.
Take a Break
The museum's cafe-restaurant on the second floor has superb views across the way to the Acropolis, and prices
are surprisingly reasonable (mains €10 to €15). Eat inside or sip a coffee alfresco on the terrace.