NAM to move into the 21st century
Now that the Acropolis Museum is up and running, it’s time to see what’s happening with Greece’s flagship museum, which must also adopt a 21st-century approach, offering more information, activities and entertainment. The underground extension to the National Archaeological Museum – bounded by Bouboulinas, Tositsa, Vassileos Irakleiou and Patission streets – has received approval but work has not yet begun. However, the project does have the support of Culture Minister Antonis Samaras. A planned underground extension beneath the museum’s garden will provide an additional 13,000 square meters of space for exhibits that are languishing in storage. The Museums’ Council has announced the specifications for the building, budgeted at 50 million euros, and for the international competition. Designing the new entrance and linking the new and old buildings are quite likely to present the winning designer with another challenge.