The donation contract of 40 million euros was signed today by Dr. Spyros I. Latsis and his wife Dorothy Latsis for the National Archaeological Museum, in memory of Ioannou and Errieta Latsis.

It is recalled that the upgrade and expansion of the building of the National Archaeological Museum was the subject of an architectural design competition, which began in November 2021 and was completed in December 2022.

The ten proposals submitted by the partnerships of Greek and foreign architectural firms were evaluated by a seven-member International Multidisciplinary Committee, which unanimously chose the proposal of the recognized and award-winning architectural firms “David Chipperfield Architects” and “Alexandros N. Tombazis and Associates Architects SA”. The proposal of Chipperfield – Topazis and their partners was presented by them at an event at the National Archaeological Museum on February 15, 2023 in the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Today, April 17, 2024, a Donation Agreement was signed between the Ministry of Culture and the National Archaeological Museum as donors and Dr. Spyros I. Latsis and Dorothy co. S. Latsis as donors, whereby the donors undertook the financing exclusively at their own expense and up to the amount of forty million (40,000,000.00) euros, the preparation by the above architectural offices of all the necessary studies, required for the complete maturation of the highlighted architectural draft at the tender level of the project. The donation by Spyros and Dorothy Latsis is made in memory of Ioannis and Erietta Latsis.

According to the subject matter of the Agreement, the studies will meet the specifications set by the Ministry of Culture for the preparation of the architectural draft, the requirements of the legislation for the content of the State studies, the rules of science and art and the best international practices. The studies will be approved by the relevant departments and Central Councils of the Ministry of Culture, will be monitored by a committee of executives of the Ministry of Culture and will include the preparation of an application study and tender documents, in accordance with the specifications of the Greek State, as well as the issuance of a building permit. Completion of the studies is expected by the end of the first semester of 2027.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made the following statement: “The State welcomes, today, the generous donation of Spyros and Dorothy Latsis, amounting to up to 40,000,000 euros, with special joy. An initiative that brings closer to reality a great dream of Athens and all of Greece: the expansion and complete upgrade of our National Archaeological Museum! Based on this, the drafts that prevailed in the relevant international architectural competition will be formed into final studies. So that, at the beginning of 2027, the project can start. The National Archaeological Museum thus acquires the position it deserves. While the image of the center of the capital is significantly improved. This specific donation is a kind gesture in memory of Ioannis and Errietta Latsis. However, it is also a strong proof of the many things that our country can achieve when the public and private sectors work together for the collective good. Congratulations, therefore, to all contributors to the effort.”

The Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, immediately after signing the Donation Agreement, stated: “With their generous donation, Spyros and Dorothy Latsis are creating the conditions for the implementation of a visionary and unique project. Their offer does not only concern the National Archaeological Museum, the largest and most important ark of masterpieces of ancient Greek art, worldwide. It concerns the regeneration of the wider area of ​​the historical center of Athens and the development dynamics of the capital. The National Archaeological Museum, extroverted, open to the city, in constant dialogue with society, with a dynamic look towards the future, is connected to the global cultural development. Thanks to our donors we can now plan the next steps to implement the project. The vision became an image with the designs of Chipperfield-Tombazi. From today the image evolves and acquires a material existence. My thanks and gratitude to Spyros and Dorothy Latsis for their trust and their generous and decisive contribution to the creation of the new shell and the unified exhibition of the valuable collections of the National Archaeological Museum, but also to the rebirth of Athens, are eternal” .

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dimitris Oikonomou National Archaeological Museum, stated: “The Agreement paves the way for the expansion and radical shake-up of the Museum building based on the Chipperfield-Tombazi draft. A green and innovative building complex will be created, worthy of the global influence of the National Archaeological Museum, but also a major cultural and development multiplier for the wider center of Athens. The Board of Directors and the services of the Museum express their warmest thanks to the donors for the donation, which is unprecedented in scale and generosity, but also for their confidence that the new National Archaeological Museum will not remain just a vision, but will be realized in a visible period of time. And they pledge that they will do what is necessary for the successful and timely completion of the required studies and for the start of the construction site, taking advantage of the new possibilities created by the recent transformation of the Museum into NPDD”.