10 Oct 2019
Opening of ancient settlement marks new beginning for Acropolis Museum
BY Andy Knaggs
The unveiling of a freshly excavated ancient settlement and the development of innovative digital representations of its exhibits have seen a new beginning for the Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece, according to its president, Dimitrios Pandermalis.
Speaking in the latest issue of Attractions Management, Pandermalis reflected on the impact of the ancient urban development that was discovered when work first started on building the museum more than 13 years ago, and the advances that the museum has made in the ways it presents its exhibits.
Some 50,000 artefacts have been discovered during the process of excavating the urban settlement on the slopes immediately below the famous Parthenon temple. Houses, workshops, bathhouses and streets dating from the 5th century BC up to the early Byzantine period in the 12th century AD have been uncovered. The museum has been constructed on columns that elevate it above the settlement, with natural light reaching down to the architectural remains.
The excavation site was opened to the public on 21 June this year, representing the opening of a new chapter in the museum's history according to Pandermalis.
"Ten years have passed quickly, but they've left a strong mark on this new beginning for the Acropolis Museum. For the first time, we are able to see how people lived in the shadow of the Acropolis and through the display of discoveries such as plates and toys, visitors will have a glimpse into the daily lives of ancient Greeks," he said.
While exhibits such as a Roman-era copy of a 4th century BC marble bust of Aristotle will draw the crowds, the museum has also been working hard to develop better ways to present its priceless artefacts.
These have included digital representations of exhibits that are discreetly presented next to the originals and the introduction of modern technologies to narrate the story of the Parthenon. Exhibits have been given fuller historical, sociopolitical and archaeological explanations, and a major digitisation programme of the museum's collections is nearing completion.
"The project has involved a broad range of museum staff and is approaching finalisation, with the development of a new museum website and a large range of adult and children's digital applications, videos and games that communicate the museum and its exhibits both onsite in the museum and online on its new website," said Pandermalis.
For more from Dimitrios Pandermalis, see the latest issue of Attractions Management available now.
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