This long-awaited museum is just a few minutes' walk away from the Acropolis and contains the most important artifacts of the Classical period, as well as other treasures that were previously kept in storage for lack of space. The award winning museum has divided its roughly 4,000 artifacts into five collections: the finds from the slopes of the Acropolis Hill, antiquities from the Archaic period, the Classical period, the post-Classical era and the Roman period. Some of the most emblematic ancient Greek antiquities are displayed: the Archaic Kouroi (male statues) and Korai (female statues), a vast number of pots, marble sculptures of maidens (such as the Caryatids) and athletes, and of course the frieze of the Parthenon and the rest of its sculptural decoration.
The building, designed by Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi and Greek architect Michalis Fotiadis, is made of cement, stainless steel and glass, with spacious galleries and abundant natural light. According to the architects, the idea behind the structure was to keep it solemn and simple, in an effort to focus attention on the exhibits, rather than on the building itself.