Greece's Modern Wonder
Bernard Tschumi’s state-of-the-art Acropolis Museum opened in Athens this week. Linda Yablonsky tours the ancient treasures and revisits the debate of how the Parthenon lost its marbles.
Petros Giannakouris / AP Photo
The New Acropolis Museum rests in the shadow of the Parthenon.
Petros Giannakouris / AP Photo
Officials and guests at the new Acropolis museum during the opening ceremony in Athens on Saturday, June 20.
Petros Giannakouris / AP Photo
Visitors came to see the more than 4,000 exhibits on display, including those parts of the Parthenon's marble frieze not held by the British Museum in London.
Thanassis Stavrakis / AP Photo
Many of the works displayed in the museum are more than 2,500 years old.
Thanassis Stavrakis / AP Photo
A 2nd-century B.C. male marble statue displayed in the new Acropolis Museum.
Petros Giannakouris / AP Photo
The late 5th-century B.C. Caryatid sculptures that propped up part of the ancient Erechtheion temple on the Acropolis are displayed on a balcony in the museum. One of the Caryatids is still on display at the British Museum in London.
Petros Giannakouris / AP Photo
Greece's Orthodox Church formally blessed the new museum in its opening week.
Petros Giannakouris / AP Photo
The museum, which cost nearly $200 million, provides an airy setting for some of the best surviving works of classical sculpture that once adorned the Acropolis.
John Kolesidis / AP Photo
Photos of the so-called Kritios Boy statue are projected onto the walls of the new Acropolis Museum in Athens. The Kritios Boy was one of the statues the ancient Athenians dedicated to their patron goddess, Athena, on the Acropolis.
Petros Giannakouris / AP Photo
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.