Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum

Location: Egnatia
Don't miss: Museums guide (free admission dates and other useful info)

The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, Macedonia: The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki was inaugurated on October 27th 1962, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary celebration for the liberation of Thessaloniki. The museum was designed by architect Patroklos Karantinos and houses exhibits of Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman sculptures. These sculptures have been excavated in the region of Thessaloniki and Macedonia in general.

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The museum initially housed the miniature art collection from the Archaic and Classical periods. It was also the holding place for the Derveni krater unearthed from the tombs at Derveni. The Derveni krater was first displayed to the public on the day of the inauguration of the museum.

Later in 1968, the discoveries from the tombs of the Macedonian kings at Vergina were also bought to the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki. These included the golden larnax and the golden grave crown of Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great. These artifacts were displayed at the museum until 1997 after which they were relocated to the Archaeological Museum of Vergina.

To house the treasures of Vergina, a new building was required. As a result, the new wing of the museum was inaugurated in July 1980 with the exhibition "Alexander the Great". In October 1982, the museum held another important exhibition displaying the treasures unearthed from the cemetery of Sindos, a northern suburb of Thessaloniki. In 2001 and 2004, the museum underwent extensive restoration work.

After the restoration, the exhibits were re-organized in three broad categories. The central room hosts exhibits uncovered from excavations in Thessaloniki and the broader area of Macedonia. The new wing hosts two exhibitions The Gold of Macedon and The Thessaloniki Area in Prehistory.

The Gold of Macedon section displays finds from the cemeteries of Sindos, Agia Paraskevi, Nea Filadelfia, Makrygialos, Derveni, Lete, Serres, and Evropos. The Thessaloniki Area in Prehistory displays artifacts from prehistoric settlements from the Late Bronze Age dating back to the Neolithic Era.

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