Museum of the Center for the Acropolis Studies
The Acropolis Study Center is an important cultural and educational institution dedicated to the history, conservation, and study of the monuments of the Acropolis.
It was inaugurated in 1987 as an annex of the New Acropolis Museum and serves as a preparation and information center for visitors to the Acropolis, with a special emphasis on educational activities for children.
The center is housed in the historic Weiler Building, constructed in 1832 by the Bavarian engineer Wilhelm von Weiler. The building is one of the oldest modern structures in the Acropolis area and is closely connected with the early years of the modern Greek state after the Greek War of Independence.
On the ground floor, visitors can see casts and replicas of the metopes, frieze, and pediments of the Parthenon, as well as sculptural decorations from the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike. Some of these casts are of exceptional historical importance because they preserve details of the original sculptures that have since been lost through weathering and damage. Particularly valuable are the plaster casts donated by the British government to Greece in 1846, intended as replacements for the original Parthenon sculptures removed by Lord Elgin.
The basement houses archaeological finds and mosaic floors uncovered during excavations carried out in 1985–1986, while the vaulted underground hall is also used for special events and exhibitions. On the first floor, visitors can explore the work carried out by the Acropolis Restoration Service since 1975, presenting the extensive efforts to preserve and restore the Acropolis monuments. A special exhibition titled “The Explosion of the Parthenon – 300 Years” has also been hosted there, focusing on the bombardment of the Parthenon by Morosini and the monument’s architectural transformations through different historical periods.
The center also includes a lecture and screening hall, while the second floor houses the Giannis Miliadis Library, dedicated to the distinguished archaeologist and scholar of the Acropolis. Through its exhibitions, educational programs, and research activities, the Acropolis Study Center plays a major role in promoting the understanding of the history and enduring significance of the Acropolis monuments.
