Athens’ National Archaeological Museum has moved a step closer to a major expansion and renovation after two culture ministry advisory councils issued positive opinions on the project’s final studies, advancing plans to modernize one of the world’s leading collections of ancient Greek art while preserving its historic character.
The Central Archaeological Council (KAS) and the Central Council for Modern Monuments (KSMN) reviewed the architectural, technical and museological plans covering the museum complex, including the neighboring Epigraphic Museum, which houses a major collection of ancient Greek inscriptions. The studies address the architectural design, structural and technical interventions, exhibition layout, landscape architecture, lighting, electromechanical installations and conservation of architectural and decorative elements.
Photorealistic rendering of the expansion for the National Archaeological Museum.
The project is being designed by David Chipperfield Architects in collaboration with the Greek firm Tombazis and Associates. The plans aim to integrate the historic 19th-century building with a contemporary extension while improving conditions for the preservation, study and presentation of the collections.
Culture Minister Lina Mendoni described the redevelopment as a strategic investment in culture, scholarly research and Greece’s international cultural presence. She said the positive opinions on the final studies would allow the project to proceed to its next phase under the applicable institutional framework and timetable.
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The latest revisions also seek to ensure that the extension does not overwhelm the existing building. According to local media reports, the height of the perimeter wall enclosing the new facilities will be reduced by three meters, with its uppermost point remaining below the top step of the historic entrance staircase. The changes are intended to preserve the visual prominence of the museum’s neoclassical facade.
A new entrance and public park
The architectural proposal extends the museum toward Patission Avenue, creating a new main entrance and a spacious reception plaza. Internal connections will link the extension with the historic building, allowing the complex to function as a unified museum.
The plans also provide for an extensive public park with greenery, meeting places and leisure facilities, opening the museum grounds more fully to the surrounding city. The redevelopment is intended to establish a new and upgraded public space in central Athens that combines culture, recreation and access to the museum.
Visitor facilities will include a central foyer, ticket offices, information services, cloakrooms, restrooms, a restaurant, a museum shop, a multipurpose auditorium and temporary exhibition galleries. The exhibition route will be organized according to contemporary museological standards, improving visitor circulation and the presentation of the collections.
The expansion is also intended to address technical and functional shortcomings through upgraded infrastructure, improved environmental conditions for the conservation of antiquities, greater accessibility and additional space for exhibitions and research.
A project years in the making
The redevelopment regained momentum in 2021, following earlier plans that failed to advance. An international architectural competition concluded in 2023 with the selection of Chipperfield’s proposal, developed with Tombazis and Associates and landscape architects Wirtz International Landscape Architects.
In April 2024, parliament ratified a 40-million-euro sponsorship agreement by Spyros and Dorothy Latsis, in memory of Yannis and Erietta Latsis, to finance the preparation of the project’s studies. The grant covers the studies, not the entire construction cost. Local media have reported an estimated overall cost of about 300 million euros, although a final construction budget has not been formally announced.
The project’s planning framework has continued to advance through successive approvals. The special urban plan was approved in June, while the strategic environmental impact assessment remains under review, according to Mendoni. The positive opinions on the final studies therefore mark another milestone rather than final authorization for all construction work to begin.