Guided tours of the exhibition “The Ancient Civilizations of Basilicata. Treasures Coming to Light”fun programs for children, musical events on the ground floor of the Museum, unique gifts in the shop and festive dishes in the restaurant, await us this Christmas at the Acropolis Museum.

Following are the celebratory activities of the Acropolis Museum, according to its announcement:

Guided tours of the exhibition “The ancient civilizations of Basilicata. Treasures Coming to Light”

The Museum invites us to the exhibition “The ancient civilizations of Basilicata. Treasures Coming to Light’ in the Hall of Periodical Exhibitions. Attend one of the weekly guided tours by the Museum’s archaeologists and experience the unknown beauty of the cultures encountered by the ancient Greeks from the Peloponnese and insular Greece on their long journeys to settle in the land of Italy and Sicily, especially in the place called later Great Greece. Dressed in copper, gold, silver and amber, the people of ancient Oinotria, today’s Basilicata, introduce themselves to the public. More information about your participation in the guided tours can be found here https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/thematikes-paroysiaseis/oi-arhaioi-politismoi-tis-basilicata

In addition, the Museum offers an audio tour via QR code for an independent visit to the exhibition space.

The exhibition runs until January 26, 2025 and admission is free. Read more about the exhibition “The ancient civilizations of Basilicata. Treasures coming to light” here: https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/periodikes-ektheseis/oi-arhaioi-politismoi-tis-basilicata

Festive programs for children:

“Games with … past”

This Christmas, the Museum invites its little friends to discover the toys of antiquity and have fun! Miniature clay pots, dolls, wheeled horses, spinners, and much more await them at the “Museum of Excavation”. Together with the archaeologists, they will travel with their imaginations to the past, through the streets, yards and houses of an ancient neighborhood, where the voices of children laughing, crying, fighting, reconciling, but above all… playing, once echoed! After the magical journey through time, children will be taken to the Children’s Corner on the 2nd floor of the Museum, where they will touch replicas of ancient toys and build similar toys, taking away a precious souvenir of this experience.

If you have children aged 6 to 12, the Acropolis Museum is waiting for you on Friday 27/12 and Monday 30/12, at 10:30 am. and at 12:30 p.m. More information can be found here https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/oikogeneiaka-programmata/paihnidia-me-parelthon

“Myths high in the sky”

The Children’s Corner (https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/paidia-kai-oikogeneies/paidiki-gonia) of the Museum is filled with the sparkle of stars! She dresses festively and awaits you on a journey through the paths of the starry sky. The archaeologists of the Museum tell, to the accompaniment of melodious sounds, myths about gods, heroes and special people who were transformed into bright points in the sky. The Museum invites us to listen to the fantastic stories from the magical world of constellations, sing, draw our own stars and make the most beautiful wishes!

If you have children aged 3 to 5, the Museum is waiting for you on Saturday 28/12 and Sunday 29/12, at 10:30 am. and at 12:30 p.m. More information can be found here https://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/oikogeneiaka-programmata/mythoi-psila-ston-oyrano

Musical mood on the ground floor of the Museum

Sunday, December 22, at 12 noon

On Sunday, December 22 at 12 noon, the students of the Experimental Music Gymnasium – Lyceum of Pallini will offer the visitors of the Museum a Christmas musical journey. The Musical Ensembles of the “Mixed Choir” and the “Chamber Orchestra”, under the direction of teachers Ioannis Kontitsis and Christos Mitsakis respectively, will present:

* Arcangelo Corelli’s “Concerto Grosso Op.6 Nr.8” (Christmas)

* excerpts from “Eight Dodecanese Songs” and “Eight Songs of Asia Minor” by Yiannis Konstantinidis

* traditional carols of Propontis

* “Hallelujah” from the oratorio “Messiah” by George Frideric Handel

Event organizer: Alexandros Galanopoulos, Director of Experimental Music at Pallini High School and Ioannis Lymberis, Director of Music at Pallini High School.

Monday, December 23, at 12:30 p.m.

On Monday, December 23, at 12:30 p.m., the Museum will host the Cretan Dressers’ Club for traditional Cretan dances and carols, under the direction of Yiannis Petrakis.

Saturday, December 28, at 12 noon

On Saturday, December 28, at 12 noon, the Museum will offer its visitors a concert with well-known Christmas tunes by the historical musical group of the Air Force Band, under the direction of Chief of Staff (MS) Alexandros Litsardopoulos. Performed by: Sofia Zova (soprano) and Angelos Musicas (baritone).

Monday, December 30, at 12 noon

To close the year, on Monday December 30, at 12 noon, the Museum will host the students of the Jazz Ensemble of the Music Gymnasium – Lyceum of Athens, who will play recognizable festive jazz compositions, under the supervision of their teacher, Nikos Kordelis and Dimitris Verdinoglou. Although it has only been in operation for a few years, the Athens Music School participates in actions that span a wide range of musical events and this concert presents a typical example of the great work that is born within the Music Schools.

In the Museum restaurant overlooking the Acropolis

Every Friday and Saturday evening you can enjoy a festive dinner with a view of the illuminated Acropolis until midnight (restaurant reservations by phone: 210 9000915). On the other days and times, you can combine your visit with coffee, dessert and the festive musical events on the ground floor of the Museum.

Festive gifts in the shop

Before leaving the Museum, you can visit the shop on the ground floor where you will find the catalog of the exhibition “The Ancient Civilizations of Basilicata. Treasures that come to light”, available in Greek, English and Italian, as well as decorative items for your Christmas gifts.

Among them is the Museum’s charm for 2025, inspired by the 6th c. B.C. found in the shrine of the Bride of Marriage. The ladder is perhaps associated with Aphrodite Urania, the patron goddess of marriage, or with the Athenian festival of the Adonis, and signifies the cycle of life.