Acropolis Museum: among the world’s 100 most visited museums

Meanwhile, the Museum published its annual activity report for the period June 2025 – June 2026, presenting data that confirm its role as one of the country’s most important cultural and tourism destinations.

As highlighted in the announcement, the Acropolis Museum remains the only Greek institution included in the list of the world’s 100 most visited museums and one of the few museums in Southeastern Europe to maintain a consistent presence in global rankings.

Consistently high visitor numbers
Data from the past two years demonstrate sustained strong attendance, with the Museum welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors every six months.

Specifically, 1,010,504 visitors were recorded in the first half of 2024, while 989,808 visited in the second half of the same year. In the first half of 2025, attendance stood at 963,707 visitors, followed by 1,030,345 in the second half. By 17 June 2026, the Museum had already received 871,955 visitors.

In addition to exhibition visitors, approximately 20,000 people annually attend conferences, cultural events, concerts, and special programs hosted in the “Dimitrios Pandermalis” amphitheatre and other shared spaces of the Museum.

The exhibition “Allspice | Michael Rakowitz & Ancient Cultures” attracted particular interest, drawing 35,224 visitors between May and October 2025.

New exhibitions and collection enrichment
The report provides extensive reference to temporary exhibitions, educational activities, conferences, school and family programs, as well as conservation and documentation projects.

A highlight is the exhibition “Inspiration: Ancient Greek Art in Italy,” on display until 30 August 2026, which is the result of cultural cooperation between Greece and Italy. At the same time, the work “Lamassu of Nineveh” by Michael Rakowitz is exhibited until 31 October 2026 in the Museum’s outdoor space with free public access.

Significant progress was also made in enriching the permanent collections. For the first time, the archaistic statue base Acropolis 610 is on display, a 4th-century BC original work depicting Athena, Zeus, Hermes, and Hephaestus, linked to the myth of the goddess Athena’s birth.

In parallel, the Sculpture Conservation Laboratory is carrying out conservation and reinstallation work on the Horseman Acropolis 700, with the aim of re-exhibiting it alongside its ancient base.

During the year, 772 sculpture fragments were also transferred from the old Acropolis Museum to the Sacred Rock, where they are being gradually integrated into the Museum’s collections and database.

Focus on the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures
The report places particular emphasis on international initiatives for the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures.

The Museum’s Director General, Nikolaos Stambolidis, participated in May 2026 in the 25th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Countries of Origin, where Greece’s position on the return of the Sculptures was presented.

The Greek side argued that the Sculptures were unlawfully removed by Lord Elgin, citing the absence of a relevant firman or other official Ottoman documentation, while also highlighting the damage caused both during their removal and subsequent handling.

At the same time, the exhibition “The Parthenon and Byron” continues in the Museum’s foyer, presenting evidence related to the case of the Sculptures and the request for their reunification in Athens.

Restoration of the Parthenon frieze
Significant progress has also been recorded in the study, conservation, and reassembly programme for fragments of the Parthenon frieze. To date, 13 new fragments have been conserved and reintegrated, ten from the South Frieze and three from the North, contributing to a more complete restoration of one of the world’s most important cultural heritage monuments.

With nearly two million visitors annually, continuously renewed exhibitions, and an active international presence, the Acropolis Museum continues to strengthen its position as a leading cultural institution in Greece and a key pillar of the country’s cultural tourism.