Museums in Athens

Athens is home to top-notch museums and historic sites. This list contains the most famous or well-regarded organizations. Click on the links below for more information.

Acropolis of Athens – In summer, 8:00-20:00 daily, except on national holidays when it opens 8:00-15:00. Between April 1 to June 16, 8:00-19:00 Monday-Friday and 8:00-15:00 on Saturday, Sunday and national holidays. In winter, 8:00-17:00 Monday-Friday and 8:00-15:00 weekends and national holidays. General admission fee: €12, Reduced: €6. Web: http://www.odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh351.jsp?obj_id=2384

Acropolis Museum – 1 April – 31 October: Tuesday to Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Last admission: 7:30 p.m.). Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Last admission: 9:30 p.m.). Monday: Closed. 1 November – 31 March: Tuesday to Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Last admission: 4:30 p.m.) Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Last admission: 9:30 p.m.) Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Last admission: 7:30 p.m.) Monday: Closed. Closed: 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 25 and 26 December. General admission fee: €5. Reduced admission fee: €3. Web: http://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/en‎

Agora of Athens, Theater of Dionysus, Roman Forum, Library of Hadrian, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Kerameikos Cemetery – 8:00:-15:00, Monday 11:00-15:00. The € 12 combo ticket for the Acropolis includes admission to the main archaeological sites in central Athens and is valid for 7 days.

Benaki Museum – (One of the world’s largest art museums, includes Roman and Greek art, Byzantine and Coptic art, Greek folk art, textiles and decorative arts) – Wednesday to Friday: 9:00 – 17:00. Thursday and Saturday: 9:00 – 24:00. Sunday: 9:00 – 15:00. Closed on Monday, Tuesday. Full admission: € 7. Temporary Exhibition: € 5 Reduced admission: € 5. Temporary Exhibition : € 3. Web: http://www.benaki.gr

Benaki Museum – Nikos Hadjikyriakos Ghika Gallery – (The home and studio of leading 20th-century Greek painter Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika, 1921-1997) – Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00. Closed on Monday, Tuesday. Also closed during August. Full admission: € 7. Reduced admission: € 5. Web: http://www.benaki.gr

Benaki Museum of Islamic Art – Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 9:00 – 17:00. Closed on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. Full admission: €7. Reduced admission: € 5. Web: http://www.benaki.gr

Benaki Museum – Pireos Str. Annex – (Modern art including architecture and design, drawings, painting,photography, prints, film and electronic media) – Thursday, Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00. Friday, Saturday: 10:00 – 22:00. Closed on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Full admission: € 4 to € 6. Reduced admission: € 2 to € 3. Web: http://www.benaki.gr

Byzantine and Christian Museum – Tuesday-Sunday: 09.00 -18.00. Closed on Monday. Temporary exhibitions & museum shop: 10.00-18.00. Full admission: €4. Reduced: €2. Web: http://www.byzantinemuseum.gr/en/‎

City of Athens Museum – (Old Royal Palace with collection of old master paintings and fine furniture) – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 9:00 to 16:00. Saturday, Sunday from 10:00 to 15:00. Closed on Tuesday. Full admission: €3. Reduced: €2. Web: http://www.athenscitymuseum.gr

Cycladic Art Museum – (The museum’s highlight are the Cycladic statuettes, characterized by the abstract treatment of the human form which gives them a striking resemblance to today’s modern art.) – Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 10:00 -17:00. Thursday: 10:00 – 20:00. Sunday: 11:00 – 17:00. Closed on Tuesday. Full admission: €7. Reduced: €3.5. Web: http://www.cycladic.gr

DESTE Foundation for Contemporary Art –Wednesday: 12:00 – 20:00. Saturday 10:00 – 14:00. Admission is free. Web: http://www.deste.gr

Frissiras Museum for Contemporary Painting – Wednesday to Friday: 10:00 – 17:00. Saturday and Sunday: 11:00 – 17:00. Closed on Monday, Tuesday. Full admission: €6. Reduced: €3. Web: http://www.frissirasmuseum.com

Goulandris Natural History Museum – Tuesday to Friday: 09:00 – 14:30. Saturday: 9:30-16:00. Sunday:10:00 – 16:00. Moday Closed. Full admission: €6. Reduced: €4. Web: http://www.gnhm.gr/en/

Hadjimichalis Mansion – (1820s house of Angeliki Hadjimichali, a prominent Greek ethnographer. Collections include, paintings, Greek folk art, folk costumes and fine furniture) Tuesday to Friday: 09:00-19:00, Saturday to Sunday: 09:00-14:00. Closed on Monday. Admission is free. Address: 6 Chatzimichali Street, Plaka.

Hellenic Children’s Museum (Children’s art, programs in creating drawings, sculpture and textiles) –  Tuesday to Friday: 10:00- 14:00. Saturday to Sunday: 10:00- 15:00. Closed on Monday. Admission is free. Web: http://www.hcm.gr

Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum – (Jewels by Ilias Lalaounis, Greece’s master designer of jewelry) – Tuesday to Saturday: 09:00-15:00. Sunday: 11.00 – 16.00. Closed on Monday. Full admission: €5. Reduced: €4. Web: http://www.lalaounis-jewelrymuseum.gr/en/

Jewish Museum of Greece – Monday to Friday: 9.00-14.30. Sundays: 10.00-14.00. Closed on Saturday. Full admission: €6. Reduced: €3. Web: http://www.jewishmuseum.gr

Kanellopoulos Museum (Greek and Roman art, Medieval Art, Greek folk art, Russian icons)- Tuesday to Sunday: 08:00-15:00. Closed on Monday. Admission is Free. Web: http://www.odysseus.culture.gr/h/1/eh151.jsp?obj_id=3320

Museum of Greek Folk Art – Bathhouse of the Winds (Only pre-Revolutionary Turkish bathhouse still surviving in Athens) – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 09.00 – 14. 30. Closed on Tuesday. Full admission: €2. Reduced: €1. Web: http://www.melt.gr

Museum of Greek Folk Art – Main Building – Tuesday to Sunday: 9.00-14:00. Closed on Monday. Full admission: €2. Reduced: €1. Web: http://www.melt.gr

Museum of Greek Folk Art – Cistar Ağa Mosque  (Pottery museum)- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 09.00 – 14. 30. Closed on Tuesday. Full admission: €2. Reduced: €1. Web: http://www.melt.gr

Musical Instruments Museum – Tuesday to Sunday: 10:00-14:00. Wednesday: 12:00-18:00. Closed on Monday. Admission is free. Web: http://www.instruments-museum.gr

National Archaeological Museum – Monday: 13:00-20:00. Tuesday-Saturday: 08:00-20:00. Sunday & Public Holidays: 08:00-15:00. Entire halls may be closed to visitors and the museum shop is sometimes closed Sunday/Monday due to understaffing. Full admission: €7. Reduced: €3. Web: http://www.namuseum.gr

National Historical Museum (History of Athens and Greece focusing in pre-Revolution and Greek Revolution history) – Tuesday to Sunday: 8:30 to 14:30. Closed on Monday. Full admission: €3. Reduced: €1.50. Web: http://www.nhmuseum.gr

National Museum of Contemporary Art – Tuesday to Sunday: 11.00 – 19.00. Thursday: 11.00 – 22.00. Closed on Monday. Full admission: €3. Reduced: €1,5. Web: http://www.emst.gr

Numismatic Museum – (Mansion of German archeologist Heinrich Schliemann. Exhibits of coins and medals from all periods and cultures) –  Tuesday to Sunday: 08:30 – 16:00. Closed on Monday. Full admission: €3. Reduced: €2. Web: http://www.nma.gr

Piraeus Archeological Museum – (The museum boasts a dramatic collection of bronze statues) – Winter Schedule: 8:00-15:00. Monday: closed. Summer Schedule: 08:00-15:00. Closed on Monday. Full admission: €3. Reduced: €2. Web: http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/1/eh155.jsp?obj_id=3371

Poseidon’s Temple at Sounion – Open 9:30 to sunset, daily. Full admission: €4. Reduced: €2. Web: http://www.odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh355.jsp?obj_id=2390

Railway Museum of Athens – (Wagons of old trains, royal riages and the smoking car of the train of the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Aziz) – Tuesday to Friday:09:00 – 13:00. Closed on Monday, Saturday & Sunday. Admission is free. Adress: 4 Siokou Street, Agioi Anargiroi (map).

War Museum – (Major collections of arms and armor) -Winter schedule: 09:00 – 17:00 daily. Summer schedule: 09:00 – 19:00 daily. Sunday – National Days : 09:00-15:00. Closed on Monday.Full admission: €3. Reduced: €1,5. Web: http://www.warmuseum.gr/english/

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the museums in question before planning your trip.

Text by Nicolas Nicolaides

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