As Greece’s largest museum and one of the most important cultural institutions in the world, the National Archaeological Museum stands as a testament to the country’s enduring legacy. Founded in 1829, shortly after Greece gained independence, it holds the distinction of being the first museum established in the modern Greek state. Housed in a grand 19th century neoclassical building spanning 8,000 square meters, the museum is home to over 11,000 exhibits that span millennia. Among its most celebrated treasures is the iconic Golden Mask of Agamemnon, unearthed in Mycenae by the legendary archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann.

The sculpture collection is especially compelling, tracing the evolution of ancient Greek art from the 7th to the 5th century B.C. with elegance and precision. Visitors are also drawn to the metallurgy collection and the beautifully curated displays of vases and small artifacts, each piece whispering stories from antiquity. Allow yourself ample time to wander through this vast collection – and be sure not to miss the museum’s newly restored atrium garden, where 700 plants bloom, many of them rooted in myths and legends of the Greek world.