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Athens · Greece

National Archaeological Museum

Known locally as Εθνικό Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο

Greece's major archaeological museum, covering prehistoric, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman and Egyptian collections.

Plan a trip here Website / visitor information
National Archaeological Museum Thomas Wolf · CC BY-SA 3.0 DE
Typical visit
3 hours
Setting
Indoor
Region
Attica
Last checked
8 Aug 2026

Why visit

Greece's major archaeological museum, covering prehistoric, Classical, Hellenistic, Roman and Egyptian collections. Founded in the nineteenth century and housed in its present neoclassical building from the late 1800s, the museum gathered major discoveries from excavations across Greece. Its collections include Mycenaean gold, monumental sculpture and the Antikythera mechanism. The visit is strongest when you focus on mask and grave goods from mycenae, antikythera mechanism and classical sculpture galleries.

What you will see

  • Mask and grave goods from Mycenae.
  • Antikythera mechanism.
  • Classical sculpture galleries.

History

Founded in the nineteenth century and housed in its present neoclassical building from the late 1800s, the museum gathered major discoveries from excavations across Greece. Its collections include Mycenaean gold, monumental sculpture and the Antikythera mechanism.

Photographs

National Archaeological Museum

Thomas Wolf · CC BY-SA 3.0 DE · full attribution on the image credits page.

Visitor tips

  1. 1

    Prioritise Mask and grave goods from Mycenae if you have less time than the full suggested visit.

  2. 2

    Leave enough time for Antikythera mechanism rather than treating National Archaeological Museum as a quick photo stop.

About Attica

Athens and the surrounding peninsula, including Saronic island heritage, major museums and coastal archaeology.

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Combine it with

More to see around Athens

All of Athens
Acropolis of Athens Athens · Greece Classical sanctuary and citadel above Athens, centred on the Parthenon and other fifth-century BCE monuments. Acropolis Museum Athens · Greece Modern museum displaying sculpture and finds from the Acropolis in a building aligned with the ancient hill. Ancient Agora of Athens Athens · Greece The civic and commercial heart of ancient Athens, with temples, public buildings and the reconstructed Stoa of Attalos. Temple of Olympian Zeus Athens · Greece Monumental remains of one of the largest temples of the ancient Greek world, standing beside central Athens. Panathenaic Stadium Athens · Greece Marble stadium on the site of an ancient racecourse, closely associated with the revival of the modern Olympic Games. Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center Athens · Greece Contemporary cultural complex housing the Greek National Opera, National Library and a large Mediterranean park.

Already worked out

Ready-made trips through Athens

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Athens Essentials — 3 Days 3 days · 7 stops · Moderate pace Three days covering Athens's essential ancient monuments, two major museums and one contemporary cultural landmark without overloading each day. Athens, Sounion and Aegina — 4 Days 4 days · 6 stops · Moderate pace A short Attica trip combining Athens with a coastal temple and an easy Saronic-island heritage day. Mainland Greece Grand Tour — 14 Days 14 days · 19 stops · Moderate pace A two-week mainland introduction moving from Athens to Delphi, Meteora and Macedonia before looping through the Peloponnese and back toward Athens.