National Archaeological Museum Athens: What to Know Before You Visit

The National Archaeological Museum offers a broad view of Greek antiquities, from prehistoric material to works of late antiquity. The museum says its collections contain more than 11,000 exhibits, and its history reaches back to its founding in 1829 on Aegina.

Its collections were intended to bring together antiquities from across Greece. For a sense of the range, you can move between prehistoric works and the Sculpture Collection, which covers a long span of ancient Greek history.

The museum’s permanent displays include sculpture, prehistoric antiquities, glass vessels and terracotta figurines. Its Sculpture Collection dates from the 7th century BC to the 5th century AD, while the Prehistoric Antiquities Collection includes works from Aegean civilizations dating from the 6th millennium to 1050 BC.

Use the collection locations to plan a route through the galleries: the Sculpture Collection is on the ground floor in halls 7–35. On the first floor, hall 63 holds the Glass Vases Collection, and rooms 58–59 display approximately 550 terracotta figurines arranged chronologically from the Geometric to the Roman period.

The museum is about a four-minute walk from a two-star hotel in central Athens. Its address is 44, 28th of October (Patission) Street, Athens 106 82, which gives you a street address to use when planning the walk.

For a broader route around the area, the one day in Athens route from Exarchion includes the surrounding city in a walkable itinerary.

The museum’s hours change with the season. From May 4 to November 15, it is open 08:00–20:00 Wednesday through Monday and 13:00–20:00 on Tuesday, with last admission at 19:30.

From November 16 to May 3, it is open 08:30–15:30 Wednesday through Monday and 13:00–20:00 on Tuesday; last admission is 15:00 Wednesday through Monday and 19:30 on Tuesday. Check the official site before you go.

General admission is €20, and online ticket holders receive priority access to the museum’s premises. The museum also lists closure days and dates with free admission, so check its official visitor information when planning around those details.

Visitors with disabilities can use a separate entrance on the Vas. Herakleiou Street side, reached by ramp from the main frontage or directly from the pavement. The museum has an accessible toilet at basement level, elevators to the basement and first floor, and a wheelchair available on request at the information desk.

The Epigraphical Museum is a natural companion for a day focused on archaeological collections. Its subject is inscriptions, offering a different angle on the ancient material in the National Archaeological Museum. The Epigraphical Museum Athens guide covers its inscription collection.

For a different kind of collection, the Hellenic Motor Museum in Athens focuses on vehicles. Keep the day’s plan manageable by choosing the combination that suits the time you have.