Acropolis Museum a Highlights Report June 2019 – May 2020

Acropolis Museum A highlights report June 2019 – May 2020

11 y e a r s President’s message

On 20 June 2019, we celebrated our health and safety of our staff and visitors on ten-year anniversary at the Acropolis 14 March 2020. Museum. The highlight of the day was the opening of the archeological excavation Despite these developments, the Museum below the Museum building, which finally has not remained inactive. A portion of took place after 25 years of hard work and the staff and some external collaborators, great anticipation. Visitors are therefore taking the necessary protective measures, now enjoying another exhibition level at continued to carry out planned exhibition the Museum, through a pleasant stroll works, conservation projects, building along steel walkways erected between the repairs and in-depth cleaning works. houses, baths and workshops of an ancient Restarting the Museum’s operation for the neighborhood south of the Acropolis. public will be a challenge, as the infectious disease has not yet disappeared and health- The main goal for the Museum in the related protective measures will certainly coming years will be the continued be strict. Nonetheless, the Museum has now enhancement of our exhibitions. This been thoroughly refreshed and fully expects will include the enrichment of our to carry on as a flagship, aspiring not only to presentation on the two great temples recover, but also to continue promoting and of the ancient Acropolis – the original embracing innovation. Parthenon (580/570 BC), known as the Hekatompedon; and the so-called ‘Archaios Many thanks again this year to the Ministry Naos’ (520/510 BC), the predecessor of of Culture and Sports, the Ephorate of the Erechtheion. We consider it necessary Antiquities of Athens and the Acropolis for our visitors to easily comprehend Restoration Service for their invaluable that the Museum presents architectural cooperation. members, sculptures and votive offerings from not just one, but two great eras of Dimitrios Pandermalis the Acropolis: the Archaic and the Classical. President of the Acropolis Museum

Attendance at the Museum during the second half of 2019 was extremely high, similar to that of the previous year. However, due to the pandemic spread of the new corona virus, beginning early in the first six-month period of 2020, visitor numbers began to decline significantly, ultimately reaching zero when the Museum was forced to close for the

Our visitors*

Total visitors 1,283,125

Visitors arriving independently Visitors arriving in organised groups 79% 1,019,185 21% 263,940

* From 14 March 2020 to 14 June 2020, the Museum closed due to emergency health measures taken against the corona virus (Covid-19). Main countries of origin* Main languages spoken* for visitors arriving independently by visitors arriving independently

United Kingdom China 51,370_5% 21,925_2% English 30% Canada Germany 287,714 22,034_2% 39,029_4% Greek 20% USA Greece 190,622 178,798_19% 183,204_20% Italy French 10% 46,470_5% 88,829 Spanish 67,399 7% German 48,108 5% Italian 46,256 5% France Chinese 2% 78,255_8% Australia 28,942_3% 23,534

Spain Portoguese 2% 48,010_5% 15,324

Dutch 1% N WE Other 14,318 S 250,098_27% Russian 13,842 1%

Total visitors* Other languages 155,711 17%

948,135 * Not included in this figure are visitors of events, restaurant customers and visitors of the temporary exhibition ‘Chisel and Memory. The Contribution of Marble Craftsmanship to the Restoration of the Acropolis Monuments’. School visitors

Total visitors in groups Total visitors in school groups 263,940 84,835

Student groups Adult groups Greek school students Foreign school students 32% 84,835 68% 179,105 56% 47,274 44% 37,561

Total free-admission tickets Primary school students Secondary school students 32% of all tickets 408,115 27% 22,750 58% 49,103

Total discounted admission tickets Tertiary school students Other school students 8% of all tickets 108,356 13% 11,262 2% 1,720

The above data was collected and analyzed by the Visitors’ Reception Department of the Acropolis Museum.

Virtual visitors Total friends on Museum Facebook page 412,131

Main countries of origin Total visitors to Museum website of friends on Museum Facebook page 659,041 Greece 302,079 73% USA 4% Main countries of origin 16,331 of Museum website visitors Germany 3% United Kingdom 35,661_6% 10,003 Canada Germany Cyprus 2% 9,852_1% 15,494_3% 9,779 USA Netherlands Greece United Kingdom 2% 78,685_12% 7,654_1% 375,385_57% Italy 9,073 15,023_2% Italy 5,888 1% Australia 4,402 1% Canada 2,791 1% France Serbia 1% 14,336_2% Australia 2,783 8,732_1% Spain France 1% 13,275_2% 2,773

N Other countries Other countries 11% WE 84,944_13% S 46,229 Changes and improvements to the collections

Age of friends on Museum Facebook page The permanent collection Lastly, on-site cleaning was carried out for the exhibit Acr. 681, displayed on the west 1% The enrichment of the permanent collection side of the first floor, which belongs to a 13-17 371 with new works and the refreshed plaque of the protective parapet originally presentation of particularly important enclosing the sanctuary of Athena Nike. 9% exhibits are top priorities for the 18-24 38,287 Acropolis Museum. Conservation During the past year, in the Archaic The Department of Conservation of 28% Acropolis Gallery, the head of the ‘Polos Antiquities and Casts completed the 25-34 115,809 Kore’ (Acr. 696) was removed from an conservation of twelve marble objects, enclosed showcase and reunited with the 307 ceramic objects and 180 metal objects 28% fragments of its body previously curated from the Museum’s collections. Additionally, 35-44 116,221 in the Museum storerooms. Adapting the desalination of 332 archaeological the loose fragments to an innovative artefacts was carried out, and the cleaning 19% modular suspension system has led to and maintenance of the architectural the reconstruction of yet another Archaic remains of the excavation displayed 45-54 79,665 Kore. In the ‘Lyon Kore’ (Acr. 269), the beneath the Museum. copy of the missing piece located in Lyon 14% was replaced by a new cast, and the Archaeological storerooms 55+ 57,533 fragments were adjusted in an obvious and reversible manner, without reshaping, The Department of the Classical, Hellenistic Unknown 1% which has altered the philosophy behind and Roman Antiquities Collection continued 4,245 the sculpture’s presentation. Improvements the important work of updating and were also made to the displays of the enriching the digital catalogs of the objects quadriga (Acr. 575) and a panther curated in the Museum’s archaeological (Acr. 552), both attributed to the storerooms. Staff members have completed metopes of the Hekatompedon. the consolidation and audit of the digital catalogs of the ‘South Acropolis’ excavation In the Parthenon Gallery, a throne, which material, and have proceeded with the study is an architectural part of the Parthenon, and dating of the excavated archaeological was added to the atrium, accompanied by finds of the Makrygiannis plot. The Library a video display of its colourful decoration. of George and Katerina Despini, located on Moreover, the laser cleaning programme the Museum’s surrounding grounds, was of the west frieze has been completed, organised and inaugurated on 18 June with procedures performed on five 2019. Lastly, 53 new scholarly monographs The above data was collected and analyzed by the additional blocks, specifically Blocks were uploaded to the Acropolis Museum’s Independent Office of Communications & Promotion of the Acropolis Museum. XIII to XVΙ and Block ΧΙ. library database, organised thematically, while the Museum’s newly completed The archaeological excavation beneath new entries relating to the upcoming 18,410 registration records and 7,500 publication ‘Acropolis Museum. The the Museum exhibition of finds from the excavation conservation records of movable objects. Excavation’ was distributed to 103 were documented and uploaded, as well In addition, 550 objects of the permanent libraries, archaeological institutions With the opening of the archaeological as 160 new entries from the Parthenon collection were photographed and 3D and foundations. excavation of the Museum in June 2019, Gallery, reaching a total number of scanning of these was undertaken. Also, archaeologists from the Department of the 10,548 records. 23 digital applications were created, Loan exhibits Classical, Hellenistic and Roman Antiquities suitable for installation either in the Collection offered organised guided tours The digital museum Museum’s interior spaces or on the website. The Museum participated in the loan of to 642 visitors within the first three This time-consuming programme has exhibits for four major exhibitions months, as well as special presentations The Museum’s ambitious programme occupied a large proportion of the Museum’s organised in Greece and abroad. to 100 members of the Association of of digital application development has staff, mainly the Department of the Classical, Licensed Tourist Guides. Furthermore, they finally come to an end. The Museum Hellenistic and Roman Antiquities Collection, The portrait of Alexander the Great developed proposals for the improvement had received a grant from the Regional the Department of Educational Programmes, (Acr. 1331) was presented in the exhibition of the excavation site and the enhancement Operational Programme Attica 2014- the Independent Office of Communications & ‘The Joint Exhibition of Asian Civilization’, of learning materials for visitors. 2020, administered jointly by the Acropolis Promotion, and the Independent Office of at the National Museum of China in Beijing Museum and the Information Society the President of the Board of Directors. (10/5/2019 – 20/8/2019). The Parthenon New technologies SA, with the work undertaken by the frieze fragment S 1776 was transferred successful tender contractor HELLENIC to the Gennadius Library of the American UV–IR photography continued to be used Telecommunications SA. School of Classical Studies at Athens, to detect and identify traces of decorative for the exhibition titled ‘Acropolis Redux: paint, with the simultaneous use of an The Museum’s new website provides Caryatid/Frieze’ (18/5/2019 – 14/7/2019). XRF machine, specifically with regard to visitors the opportunity to browse through The Museum also participated in the five exhibits (Blocks ΧIV and ΧΙΙΙ of the a contemporary multilingual platform, exhibition ‘The Greeks. Agamemnon to Parthenon’s west frieze; Acr. 696; Acr. which represents an organic part of the Alexander the Great’, in the Hangaram 5754; and Acr. 698). The 3D model of the Museum’s communication, educational Art Museum of the Seoul Arts Centre in ‘Lyon Kore’ (Acr. 269) was created as part and museological approach to the different South Korea, with the exhibits Kore Acr. of the 3D printing and digitization of three audiences we aim to reach. Local and 673 and the decree ΕΜ 2811+ ΕΜ 7180 Museum sculptures (Acr. 269, Acr. 1313, international online visitors can take a (5/6/2019 – 15/9/2019). Finally, seven Acr. 696) and the fragment of the Rodin virtual journey through the Museum’s important exhibits travelled to Indianapolis bust (CO467). exhibition galleries and become initially in the United States of America – including acquainted with 2,127 exhibits from its the Kore statue Acr. 678, the bust Digital documentation of the collections permanent collection. A separate website of Plato M 163 and the cast copies of with fun games and exciting videos for Blocks VII, VIII, IX, X and XI of the The Department of the Classical, Hellenistic children is offered for our younger visitors. Parthenon’s west frieze – on the and Roman Antiquities Collection continued occasion of the exhibition ‘Ancient the ongoing project of enriching the digital Within the context of this project, the Greece. Life, Myth and Heroes’ database for the Museum’s collections following elements have been digitized: 496 (15/6/2019 – 30/12/2019). (MuseumPlus). Over the past year, 509 excavation diaries, 110,000 photographs, Promotion of the exhibits

Gallery talks and discussions to improve production techniques created for the temporary exhibition of 44% foreigners. The Department of employing new materials for casts the same title. Educational Programmes, in collaboration Over the past year, the Archaeologist- and patinas. with YSMA’s Education Team, offered Hosts of the Department of Educational Activities for children organised programmes to Elementary and Programmes have been available at a Study, photography and filming of Junior High School students, such as ‘The designated spot in the Archaic Acropolis exhibits The Department of Educational Parthenon Sculptures’, ‘Statues Come Alive Gallery for questions, discussions and Programmes offered activities during the in Your Own Creations’, ‘A Trip Through comments from Greek and foreign visitors. Over the past year, the Department of past year designed for children of different Time at the Acropolis’, and ‘The Sculpture At the same time, the following gallery talks the Classical, Hellenistic and Roman age groups and their chaperones. The and Colour Workshop’. High School were offered to visitors on a weekly basis Antiquities Collection granted 69 permits activity ‘Experience the Panathenaia Festival students had the opportunity to choose in both Greek and English: ‘A Walk Through for the photography and the licensing of with All My Senses’ was attended by 117 among additional programmes, including the Museum with an Archaeologist’, in which photographs of exhibits, as well as 17 children, 3 -5 years old, over a period of ‘Ancient Faces and You’, ‘In the Heart of the 1,695 visitors participated over a period filming permits for film crews, in addition to one month. After touring the Parthenon Museum’, ‘Contests, Action and Spectacle’, of eight months; ‘Walking in the Ancient accommodating 15 requests for the study Gallery, children ended up at the Museum’s and ‘Children, Teenagers, Young People’. Neighborhood of the Acropolis Museum’, of archaeological material. restaurant, where they tasted sweets Lastly, programmes for pre-school groups with 700 participants over a period of three similar to those available at the original and foreign school groups of all educational months, and ‘The Lost Statue of Athena Family backpacks and family trails Panathenaic festival. The activity ‘What levels were also offered. Parthenos’, attended by 499 visitors solely Happened to Athena’s Statue from the on the occasion of 28 October 2019. The Museum’s specially designed family Parthenon?’ proved especially popular, with Teacher training Given its success on that day, the latter backpacks have helped children and their 178 children (6-9 years old) participating talk was introduced as a regular event, parents learn about our exhibits in a over a two-month period. At Christmastime Educators had the opportunity to plan with 330 visitors participating over a fun and creative way. Over the past year, 2019, the mobile workshop ‘Festive independent school visits to the Museum period of four months. the three backpacks – ‘In Search of the Stories’ was hosted, in which children 6-11 and use the online resources available on Goddess Athena’, ‘Archaic Colours’, and years old and their parents discovered the the Museum’s website, specifically ‘The Production of cast reproductions of ‘The Parthenon Sculptures’ – were used festivals of the ancient Athenians. During Parthenon Sculptures’ and ‘The Monuments Museum exhibits by a total of 2,700 families, of which 42% the activity, participants created festive of the Acropolis’. In addition, YSMA’s came from Greece and 58% from other theatrical scenery later used to decorate the Education Team continued to provide The Department of Conservation of countries. Additionally, 6,176 families from Museum. This last activity was undertaken seminars for teachers, either to enhance Antiquities and Casts produced a total of Greece and abroad enjoyed the available in collaboration with the Education Team of their teaching or to assist them in the 4,610 cast reproductions of exhibits, sold family trails through the Museum’s galleries. the Acropolis Monuments Restoration planning of enriching tours of the Museum in the Museum Shops, all created using In the summer of 2019, these trails were Service (YSMA). for their students. acrylic resin, high-quality plaster and enriched with further reading materials, bronze. Casts made of bronze were including the booklet ‘A Special Day at School visits produced in collaboration with an external the Acropolis Museum’, created for the foundry. Moreover, six new production occasion of the Museum’s tenth anniversary, During the past year, the number of molds were created; high-precision patinas and the booklet ‘Chisel and Memory. The students visiting the Museum under were applied for painting details on five Contribution of Marble Craftsmanship to the prearranged group bookings reached casts; and experiments were conducted Restoration of the Acropolis Monuments’, 84,835, of which 56% were Greeks and Promotion of the Museum

Ten years of the Acropolis Museum Lecture: ‘The True Colours of the tenth anniversary celebration took place, Pandermalis, welcomed the Association Parthenon Sculptures: Evidence for attended by His Excellency, Mr. Prokopios of the Asia Minor Community of Egaleo On 20 June 2019, the Museum celebrated Traces of Original Polychromy and Pavlopoulos, President of the Hellenic ‘Nees Kydonies’, which performed carols its first decade of operation, organising its Interpretation’ Republic. Highlighting the event were on the Museum’s ground floor. several festivities on this occasion for the grand opening of the Museum’s its visitors. On 13 June 2019, the Museum hosted archaeological excavation displayed Additional free-admission days a lecture in its Auditorium by the Italian beneath the building, and a special concert Temporary exhibition: ‘Chisel and professor Giovanni Verri on the polychromy performed by the Greek National Opera. The During the past year, on the occasion of Memory. The Contribution of Marble of the Parthenon sculptures – long a exhibition of the archaeological excavation World Tourism Day, on 27 September 2019, Craftsmanship to the Restoration of subject of scholarly research, and debate proved to be of great interest to members and on the National Holiday of 28 October, the Acropolis Monuments’ about which has continued for almost two of the local and international media. admission for visitors was free 5 pm – 10 centuries. Awarded an MA in Conservation pm and 8 am – 6 pm respectively. On the Since opening its doors ten years ago, the of Wall Paintings by the Courtauld Institute Music at the Museum single occasion of 28 October, the Museum Acropolis Museum has highlighted the of Art (University of London), where he was pleased to receive 14,736 visitors. On close relationship between the unique currently teaches, Verri has endeavored to In accordance with established custom, the these free-admission days, visitors had the sculptures it displays and the ancient develop scientific techniques for the analysis Museum again invited its visitors to a musical opportunity to enjoy a guided walk through monuments from which they originate. of coloured paint, particularly on Greek and evening under the bright light of the August the Museum’s archaeological excavation It is with great pleasure that the Museum Roman antiquities. full moon (15 August 2019). The event, and its permanent collections, as well as a has hosted an exceptional exhibition of hosted in the Museum’s courtyard, featured special tour concerning the lost statue of photographs of YSMA’s present-day Musical concert: ‘Instrumental’ by a group of young artists and their orchestra Athena Parthenos. marble craftsmen at work on the Acropolis. Stavros Xarchakos performing well-known songs about the Imbued with a new curatorial spirit, the moon. On the day of the event, the Museum Museum presentations, local and abroad exhibition was initially organised by the On 19 June 2019, visitors had the extended its opening hours until midnight, Committee for the Conservation of the opportunity to enjoy a unique concert, titled with free admission from 8 pm onwards. Over the past twelve months, the Museum’s Acropolis Monuments in conjunction ‘Instrumental’, by the great Greek composer President, Prof. Dimitrios Pandermalis, has with YSMA. It was staged at the Acropolis Stavros Xarchakos, leading an orchestra On the afternoon of 31 October 2019, the represented the Museum in a series of local Museum with many super-enlarged of eight renowned Greek soloists. On the Museum once again welcomed the award- and international conferences. photographs that covered entire walls of day of the event, the Museum extended winning Athens String Quartet, of the Athens the galleries, giving the visitor an immediate its opening hours until midnight, with free State Orchestra, for a concert of Beethoven’s In the summer of 2019, he presented a sense of being on the Acropolis site admission from 8 pm onwards. and Dvorak’s compositions. lecture about the stories of the Parthenon and watching the work in progress. The sculptures on the occasion of the 48th exhibition was inaugurated on 10 June A new exhibition space: the Museum’s During the Christmas holiday season, visitors Olympus Festival, 10 June 2019, in the 2019 and it will be open to the public archaeological excavation enjoyed a festive concert by the Jazz Octet Acropolis Museum, and again on 9 August until 30 September 2020 in the ground- of the Athens Military Guard, on 22 2019 at the archaeological site of Dion. On floor Temporary Exhibition Hall, with free On 20 June 2019, the Museum celebrated December 2019, and a New Year’s concert 21-22 June 2019, he participated in a world admission for visitors. its birthday with free admission for all by the STAB Saxophone Quartet, on 29 conference at the Zappeion Hall concerning visitors to its exhibition galleries. On December 2019. On New Year’s Eve, the repercussions of climate change on the same evening, the Museum’s official the Museum’s President, Prof. Dimitrios cultural heritage. On 12 July 2019, he spoke about the ten-year history of the of Friends of Greece in Basel, Switzerland, Acropolis Museum at the Sixth Meeting on 6 December 2019. At the latter event, of the Aegean Arts International Festival, the President was accompanied by the which took place in Heraklion, Crete. Acropolis Museum’s Swiss architect, Bernard Tschumi. On 31 October 2019, Prof. Pandermalis offered an opening address at the Museum E-shop international scientific conference titled ‘They are Not Silent After All… Human The Museum has intensified its efforts to Remains in Archaeological Museums. Ethics develop its E-shop and plans for the shop to & Display’, organised by the Directorate join the Museum’s online presence in 2020. of Archaeological Museums, Exhibitions and Educational Programmes of the Staff training Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports. The Museum’s President also participated, again Over the past year, the Museum held four with opening addresses, in 1) a conference competitions for the recruitment of seasonal organised by the International Council of staff with six- and eight-month contracts. Museums at the Acropolis Museum, held The tender announced in February 2020 on 21 November 2019, titled ‘Embracing was not completed, due to emergency the Virtual. European Museums Respond to health measures taken against the spread the Digital Challenge’; and 2) a conference of Covid-19 and the temporary closing of concerning climate change and the need the Museum. For the orientation of new to protect Mediterranean cultural heritage, staff members that were successfully hired, held on 21 January 2020, organised by the Museum used a combination of training the Marianna V. Vardinoyannis Foundation videos, produced by the Museum itself, under the auspices of H. E. the President of and presentations by experienced staff the Hellenic Republic. Lastly, on 31 January members, as well as on-site training. 2020, the President made a presentation of the Acropolis Museum’s digital applications at the 21st Hellenic Heart Failure Congress, organised by the Hellenic Heart Failure Research Society.

The President was also invited abroad to speak about the ten-year history of the Acropolis Museum at events hosted by the The Acropolis Museum would like to express Hellenic Community of Luxembourg, on 3 its gratitude to SAMSUNG Electronics December 2019, and the Cultural Circle Hellas, for its invaluable, ongoing support.

Acropolis Museum Board of Directors

President

Dimitrios Pandermalis Professor of Archaeology

Members (in alphabetical order)

Konstantinos Bakoyiannis Mayor of Athens (from January 2020)

Eleni Banou Director, Ephorate of Antiquities of Athens

Nikolaos Damalitis Civil Engineer

Kyriakos Katzourakis Artist, Emeritus Professor of Fine Arts, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Manolis Korres Emeritus Professor of Architecture, National Technical University of Athens

Ekaterini Paraschi Architect Engineer

Konstantinos-Avgoustos Rizos Lawyer

Nicholas Stampolidis Professor of Archaeology Text and Coordination Danae Zaoussis

Editing John Leonard

Photographs Giorgos Vitsaropoulos

Front cover – back cover: Rear view of the painted reproduction of Kore Acr. 685, a gift of the E. Gilleron family to the Acropolis Museum, standing beside (back cover) the original statue. Archaic Acropolis Gallery.

1. Syma moulding, from the northeast corner of the Parthenon’s roof, ending in an impressive lion’s head rain spout. Parthenon Gallery.

2. Part of the tower-hall of Building E, in the ancient Athenian neighbourhood now exhibited beneath the Acropolis Museum.

3. Snapshot from the inauguration tour of the Acropolis Museum’s archaeological excavation on 20 June 2019.

4. Views from the Acropolis Museum’s temporary exhibition ‘Chisel and Memory. The Contribution of Marble Craftsmanship to the Restoration of the Acropolis Monuments’.

Design G Design Studio

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