On the Road: Lost in the Museums of Athens

TRILOGY OF ATHENS

Back to the city centre, Besides being the home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Acropolis of Athens and the medieval Daphni Monastery, Athens also holds ‘Trilogy of Athens’: Academy of Athens, University of Athens and National Library. It is burning hot in the afternoon when we pass by Panepistimiou Boulevard, still, the flanking pillars sculptured by Leonidas Drosis, Athena, Apollo, Plato and Socrates allure me to explore more of the neoclassical interior design. Luckily, I take a quick view of the marble pillars and sphinx sculpture from the conference hall, just during the short break of an academic meeting session.

University of Athens is the last part of neoclassical Trilogy. The university consists of a group of buildings that shape up of a double ‘T”, with two symmetrical courtyards. The bases of the columns and the capitals of the entrance are the perfect replicas of equivalent found of propylaea of Acropolis.

The third neoclassical building on the left hand side of University of Athens, stands The National Library. It contains three solid parts, one needs to pass through a Doric-Style of column, after climbing monumental curved double Renascence style of staircases, then can enter an Ilion-style columns surrounded reading room. When I visit, the gate of library is closed for the conference session, so I miss my luck to take a peek of the treasure house of knowledge.

NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Athens is also the world centre of archaeological research. Along with national institutions, such as University of Athens and Archaeological Society, there are multiple museums for both enthusiastic or researchers to explore. The National Archaeological Museum is one of the Top Ten museums in the world, as it contains a vast collection of antiquities, metal works, sculptures, potteries and jewelry; its artifacts over a period of more than 5000 years, from late Neolithic Age to Roman Greece, at the basement galleries, it even exhibits in total more than 6000 artifacts, including Egyptian mummies and special statues. The Egyptian sector features rare statues, even an intact bird eggs and a 3000-year load of bread with a bite-sized chunk missing.

In 2017, at the grand hall of Archeological Museum, the special exhibition focuses on ‘The Journey of Odysseus: The Ship, the treasure and the Mechanism’, which the whole space plays the sound of waves, and the ancient tools are incredibly various during the ancient Odyssey era. My hubby can not stand for over 4 hours checking all the collections, so he leaves for a couple of beer that I can keep enjoying those familiar heroes and gods carved on the potteries or tombstones. 

The most interesting of the museums in Athens, is that a lovely secret garden hidden between the galleries. The National Archaeological Museum’s greenery inner yard holds some special plants such as Greek Fir, Christmas rose and bear’s Breeches; along the hallway to the café, it displays the marble statues of Poseidon; even the mosaic version of Medusa looks more charming than terrifying.

NUMISMATIC MUSEUM OF ATHENS 

Another surprising found in Athens is Numismatic Museum of Athens. It was an instant decision during my shopping spree, because I am deeply attracted by its beautiful garden and café umbrellas. The staff is very friendly introducing basic museum info and other art festival. The museum itself is housed in the mansion of the archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, and the ballroom and dining room are decorated with mosaics and murals depicting either themes from the Trojan War or Greek mottos (such as bumble bee). The collection of the museum contains over 600,000 of coins, medals, stamps, bank notes and so on, from the 14^th century BC, Medieval era, Ottoman Empire to modern times.

The most interesting collection is the Byzantine Empire Justinian II 24K gold coin. Also, the coin hoard from Myrina is also the most intriguing treasure of the museum. With the case, a glazed clay olpe, this coin hoard was discovered in 1970s, it contains 149 silver coins of Aegina-the well-known ‘turtles’ due to the representation either of a sea animal or a land tortoise on the obverse. Those silver coins symbolize various stages of the island’s numismatic production from the mid 6^th to the mid-5^th century BC. With the gallery to gallery, we viewers can realize how the value of coinage has been decaying within the history and time (nowadays our ‘credits’ are depending on papers and plastic). It is always intriguing to study anthropology through a fingertip size of coin.

After the museums, I would like to have a cup of Greek coffee, and indeed, continue shopping in Athens!

Speical Thanks: JMH
#Athens #Greece #museum #archaeological #numismatic #academyofathens 

NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

NUMISMATIC MUSEUM OF ATHENS