Pandermalis announces 2007 Acropolis Museum opening

The president of the organization for the construction of the new Acropolis Museum, professor Dimitrios Pandermalis, announced that the Museum will be ready to operate as an exhibition center for archaeological treasures in 2007. In response to this statement, the Greek government re-issued demands regarding the subject of the Parthenon Marbles' restoration to Greece from the United Kingdom.

After visiting the construction site, Greek Culture Minister George Voulgarakis reiterated yesterday that the new Athens museum would be ready to receive visitors by the end of next year.

The new Acropolis Museum, which is located in the area of Makriyannis, just a few metres away from the rock of the Acropolis, will cover an area of about 23,000 sqm. According to the Greek Ministry of Culture, the whole project would cost 129 million euros.

The Parthenon Marbles — also known as the Elgin Marbles — are currently located in a specific hall in the British Museum of London. The demand from the side of the Greek government as well as from Greek or non-Greek organizations and British celebrities like Sean Connery for the restoration of the marbles — a demand which was an idea of the former Greek Culture Minister and actress Melina Mercouri — didn't have any result until today due to the denial from the side of the British Museum administration.