The new Archaeological Museum of Delos “opens its gates”

One of the oldest in Greece, the Archaeological Museum, was renovated and tomorrow Friday, July 19, 2024, the… doors open. The opening of the new, renovated Archaeological Museum of Delos will be the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou. The Delos Archaeological Museum, one of the oldest museum buildings in Greece, began to be built in 1904-1906 and 1909-1911, while later interventions and expansions in the 1930s and 1970s gave it its present form. The poor architectural condition of the historical Museum, as a result of the extreme environmental conditions in Delos, made it necessary to maintain its shell thoroughly, with the co-financing of the European Union in the context of the NSRF 2014-2020 (ENP) and NSRF 2021-2027 (South Aegean programme) Act “Delos – Open Museum. Upgrading interventions in the archaeological site and the Museum”, says Ephorate of Antiquities (EPA) of Cyclades,. Through NSRF there was a radical renovation of the exhibition halls, while the warehouses and public service spaces were modernised. At the same time, a modern antiquities maintenance laboratory was created, organized and equipped. Upgrading interventions were also carried out in the permanent exhibition of the Archaeological Museum of Delos. On the basis of the existing museum design, the old and static display problems were replaced, a supervisory material was added, modern lighting bodies were placed in the halls, while the appropriate conditions were created so that the visitor could enjoy the treasures of the Archaeological Museum of Delos, such as the famous Lions of Naxos, whose room was upgraded with the installation of supervisory and sound material. In the same context, the statue of Gaius benefitios Ferros, a work of the 2nd/1st century B.C. that copies Praxitelical standards, was again attributed to the public maintained and restored, a work implemented by the French School of Athens. In addition, work on the promotion and protection of selected monuments in the archaeological site of Delos was carried out with the programme “Delos – Open Museum”: The partial restoration and promotion studies of the temple of Apollo and Palaestra of Granitis were prepared and approved, as well as the maintenance studies of the aforementioned monuments, as well as the house of the Distributor. The restoration of the three monuments and the area of the Sanctuary, which is in progress, is expected to be completed by 2027. In the same context, a study of the configuration of the path of the disabled that is implemented and provides for access to iconic monuments of Delos, such as its ancient Theatre, was prepared and approved. The completion of interventions in the area of Delos, next to those made at the Museum, preparing its future re-exhibition, aims to ensure the protection of the rich cultural reserve of the island, along with the upgrading of the experience of a specialist and visitor in the emerging archaeological site. Along with the performance to the public of the renovated Archaeological Museum of Delos, EFA Cyclades presents the periodical exhibition “Delos – Rinia – Mykonos. Pictures of 150 years of archaeological research” co-organized with the French School of Athens and the Municipality of Mykonos at the Archaeological Museum of Mykonos. On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the opening of excavations in Delos by the French School of Athens originally (1873) and then by the Greek Archaeological Service, a exhibition is organized that reverses the relationship between ancient exhibits and accompanying supervisory material, as it highlights as protagonists the great photographs of documentation of excavations, drawn from archives mainly from the French School of Athens and the Archaeological Service. Impic archaeological findings accompany the photographs that relate to the great archaeological adventure, which continues in our day. The opening of the new Museum by the President of the Republic will take place at 10:00, and then (at 13:00) will be the official presentation, by the Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, of the works in the framework of the renovation and the periodical exhibition “Delos-Rinia-Mykonos. Images from 150 years of archaeological research”.