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Travel bucket list idea:

Last updated: 24 June, 2023
Expert travel writer: John Malathronas

Decades in the works, the Acropolis Museum opened in 2009. The clunky concrete and glass building has many detractors, but few dispute the magnificence of the collection.

For the first time, all the treasures unearthed on and around the Acropolis are displayed under one roof – except, of course, the ‘Elgin marbles’, a large section of the famous Parthenon frieze that’s in the British Museum. Should they be repatriated? Visit the top-floor gallery and decide for yourself.

The museum restaurant matches a great view with great food. Try inventive Greek dishes on a terrace jutting out towards the Parthenon. The glass-walled dining hall also offers stupendous views.

Price from: £4
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 15+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

The museum is next to the Acropoli metro stop. Tickets can be bought online in advance, or at the ticket desk.

The treasure trove is vast, you really need expert guidance to take you around. You can book an organised tour with an expert guide (see our recommendations below). Alternatively, every Saturday morning there is a free 90-minute guided tour (in English), ‘Saturday in the Museum with 20 + 1 masterpieces.’  There is no pre-booking – the tour is available to the first thirty visitors to ask at the information desk so a place is not guaranteed.

If you can’t make those, there’s a 2-hour audio tours available – ask at the Museum’s Information Desk on arrival – where museum curators introduce you to 60 exhibit highlights.

The website has a handy section of ‘highlights’ – have a browse before you go. There’s also a great section that introduces the site and the collection to kids.

When to do it

The museum is open all year round, seven days a week. Go early to avoid the coach parties or after dark, when the surrounding cityscape is eerily reflected in the glass-walled galleries.

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Acropolis monuments & Parthenon Walking Tour with Optional Acropolis Museum

Athens

Acropolis monuments & Parthenon Walking Tour with Optional Acropolis Museum
Behold the beginnings of Western civilization with an experienced licensed tour guide on a 4-hour walking tour of this UNESCO Heritage site. Remarkable history unfolds as you stroll by the Parthenon and other monuments of the Acropolis; visit the New Acropolis Museum to gawk at ancient statues. Walk over the glass floor of the state-of-the-art Museum and watch under the remains of Ancient Athens. Head up with your tour guide to the glass Parthenon room and finish the tour with the superb and classic perfect collection while admiring the views of the Acropolis. This is a skip-the-line tour. We will make sure you will not have to wait in long lines. The walking tour is made with an experienced licensed tour guide. The meeting point is in our offices by the Acropolis (60 meters walk from Acropolis metro station). We provide free WiFi at the meeting point, WC, and an air-conditioned waiting lounge. You can also safely leave your luggage or bags and pick them up after the tour.

Price: €35

Min age: 0

Rating 4.89 / 5 [623 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Skip the Line Acropolis Museum Tour

Athens

Skip the Line Acropolis Museum Tour
A thorough visit at the Acropolis Museum which hosts its collections across three levels, as well as in the archaeological excavation that lies at its foundations covered with glass.

Price: €35

Min age: 0

Rating 4.42 / 5 [21 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Athens: Acropolis, Parthenon & Acropolis Museum Guided Tour

Athens

Athens: Acropolis, Parthenon & Acropolis Museum Guided Tour
Travel back in time on a 4 hours Skip-the-line informative and fun tour to the most significant monument in Athens. This tour is guided by an English speaking field expert and licensed tour guide. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Acropolis of Athens through a journey into history, mythology and storytelling. The tour continues with a visit to the Acropolis Museum, which has been ranked among the top Museums in the world. All the original surviving masterpieces from the temples of the Acropolis are displayed with the use of natural light. Excavations are also visible under glass floors and walkways.

Price: €59

Min age: 0

Rating 4.89 / 5 [249 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Acropolis, Parthenon and Acropolis museum walking tour

Athens

Acropolis, Parthenon and Acropolis museum walking tour
Explore the Acropolis Monuments in a small group tour. Visit the state-of-the-art Acropolis Museum and enjoy a unique and personalized time of the landmark monuments of the Greek capital. 

Price: €60

Min age: 0

Rating 4.87 / 5 [118 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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The Acropolis, Athens Walking City Tour and Acropolis Museum

Athens

The Acropolis, Athens Walking City Tour and Acropolis Museum
The Ideal Combination Tour! See the city center including two top sights in just a few hours. At the Acropolis of Athens, you’ll explore the Parthenon which is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. Then, you’ll dive deeper into its worldly significance at the Acropolis Museum where marble masterpieces tell a story on their own.  Please be aware that even with our skip-the-ticket-line service, there might be some waiting time required for security checks. This is because visitor numbers can fluctuate unpredictably at the sites throughout the day. The typical waiting time falls within 0 to 10 or 30 minutes, though on rare occasions, it might be longer. 

Price: €67

Min age: 0

Rating 4.77 / 5 [371 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Half Day Athens Sightseeing Tour with Acropolis Museum

Athens

Half Day Athens Sightseeing Tour with Acropolis Museum
This tour gives you an opportunity to observe the striking contrasts that make Athens such a fascinating city. Our expert guides will take you to see the Panathenaic Stadium where the first Olympic Games of modern times were held in 1896 (short stop). Continue and pass by the Prime Minister's residence (ex Royal Palace) guarded by the Euzones in their colorful uniform, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Hadrian's Arch, the Parliament and the memorial to the Unknown Soldier, the Academy, the University, the National Library, the Constitution Square (Syntagma). On the Acropolis visit the Architectural Masterpieces of the Golden Age of Athens: The Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion and finally "the harmony between material and spirit", the monument that "puts order in the mind", the Parthenon. Continue and visit the place where at last the statues found their home and admire the wonders of the classical era: The new Acropolis museum.

Price: €83

Min age: 0

Rating 4.03 / 5 [32 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Acropolis & Acropolis Museum Skip-the-Line Private Tour with Licensed Expert

Athens

Acropolis & Acropolis Museum Skip-the-Line Private Tour with Licensed Expert
In the company of a Professional Licensed, Archaeological guide experience the Acropolis with its iconic Parthenon and temples, the Theater of Dionysus, and the New Acropolis Museum. Exclusive and dedicated to your group alone, your private guide will bring to life the pinnacle of the classical Greek period along with its associated masterpieces housed in the nearby Museum for a once in a lifetime experience. Flexible booking Options exclude the Museum to offer the following additional choices: ACROPOLIS ONLY, for a focused 2-hr expert tour of this site only; ACROPOLIS & ANCIENT AGORA, for a combined 3-hr tour of the Acropolis and Ancient Agora; CITY TOUR LUXURY VEHICLE, for a 4-hr city sightseeing tour of the wider Highlights including return transfers from the Cruise Ship Port or central Athens Hotel. Admission is not included, but to avoid queues for purchasing Acropolis tickets, your Guide carries Adult Class tickets for you if needed (Any cost must be reimbursed to Guide).

Price: €154

Min age: 0

Rating 4.87 / 5 [155 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Acropolis Of Athens & Acropolis Museum Skip The Line Private Guided Tour

Athens

Acropolis Of Athens & Acropolis Museum Skip The Line Private Guided Tour
Travel back in time on an informative and fun tour of the Acropolis of Athens & Acropolis Museum of Athens. Be guided by a field expert and licensed tour guide. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage site through a journey into history, mythology, and storytelling. Acropolis is one of the world's most instantly recognizable landmarks and the star attraction of ancient Athens. Continue with a visit to the Acropolis Museum, which has been ranked as one of the top museums in the world.Visit the new Acropolis Museum. You get to admire stunning Archeological Sites. Skip the lines to the Acropolis of Athens. Discover the first theater of humanity at Theater of Dionysus. Listen to the histories of all the ancient monuments from licensed guide. Avoid missing all the hot spots and gain insight you'd miss alone. 100% personalized tour. No prearranged fixed tour. Visit the new Acropolis Museum.

Price: €195

Min age: 4

Rating 4.85 / 5 [47 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Private Mythology Tour of the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum

Athens

Private Mythology Tour of the Acropolis and Acropolis Museum
Indulge in a fully personalized mythological tour around Athens' key historical monuments. With the help of your licensed guide, you will time-travel to ancient Athens and unravel the captivating myths that shaped the history and the religion of this ancient city. Pick the order you want to see the sights in, as you have full control of your itinerary!

Price: €215

Min age: 0

Rating 4.94 / 5 [19 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Private Tour: Half day Athens Sightseeing and Acropolis Museum

Athens

Private Tour: Half day Athens Sightseeing and Acropolis Museum
Take a private tour of the ancient city of Athens with a personal guide. You will visit the Acropolis, icon of Athens perched on its plateau, and walk to Syntagma Square, the central square of the modern day city.

Price: €290

Min age: 0

Rating 4.61 / 5 [26 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Athens

Central Greece, Greece

Athens parthenon lit up at night

Antiquities galore, contemporary culture, scintillating nightlife and fantastic food: there’s something for everyone in Greece’s cosmopolitan capital that’s continuously reinventing itself.