Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
More than a Building
The small, worn-around-the edges Acropolis Museum had never really done
justice to the stunning treasures it held within. But the Greek government's
multi-storey, all-glass showpiece of a museum at the foot of the Acropolis does.
The old Acropolis Museum closed its doors in July 2007, in anticipation of
the move to the New Acropolis Museum, which officially opened mid-2009.
However there's an ulterior motive to the construction of this museum, which
is to send a pointed international message. In 1799, the seventh Earl of Elgin
removed two-thirds of the sculptures of gods, men and monsters adorning the
Parthenon and took them to England. Most were sold to the British Museum,
which refuses to return them, saying the sculptures are integral to its role to
narrate human cultural achievement. The New Acropolis Museum has answered
previous criticism that Athens could not display them adequately or safely, for
a special room awaits the return. Greece hopes that when thousands of interna-
tional visitors see the sparkling but empty showcase, it will increase the pressure
on Britain, forcing a much-anticipated return of the marbles.
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