Archaeological Site and Museum of the Sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus

About the museum

Epidaurus was the most important healing centre of the ancient Greek and Roman world. In the sanctuary, Apollo Maleatas was originally worshipped, and from the 6th century BC Asclepius. Most of the surviving monuments were built in the 4th and 3rd centuries BC: the Temple of Asclepius, the Abaton Stoa, the Tholos, the Katagogion, the stadium and the theatre, the work of Polykleitos, which could hold around 13,000 spectators.

The Archaeological Museum of Epidaurus was founded by the Archaeological Society in 1897, built in 1898–1900 and has been operating since 1909. It houses the finds of the great excavation of the sanctuary (1881–1928) under the archaeologist Panagis Kavvadias. The building is one of the oldest museums in the country, and its exhibition retains the museum concept of the early 20th century, with a dense arrangement of the exhibits.

The collections cover the Archaic to the Roman period: inscriptions, medical instruments, sima and acroteria, reliefs, statues and large sections of the buildings of the sanctuary, such as the Propylaia, the Temple of Asclepius, the Temple of Artemis and the Tholos.

Highlights

• The ancient theatre of Epidaurus with its renowned acoustics
• Architectural members of the Temple of Asclepius and the Tholos
• The unfinished Corinthian capital found near the Tholos
• Inscriptions, medical instruments and votive offerings from the sanctuary
• Casts of statues of Hygieia, Aphrodite and Asclepius

Permanent exhibition

• Μόνιμη έκθεση του Αρχαιολογικού Μουσείου Επιδαύρου – Inscriptions, medical instruments, sculptures and large sections of the buildings of the sanctuary of Asclepius, from the Archaic to the Roman period.

Founded

1897

Operated by

Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού – Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Αργολίδας

Admission & discounts

Free admission: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October and the first and third Sunday of each month from 1 November to 31 March.

The ticket is valid for the theatre, the archaeological site and the museum of the Asclepieion of Epidaurus. Free admission and reduced tickets are granted to special categories of visitors, in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Culture.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum provides access to the first hall and the surrounding area, a ramp and toilets for people with disabilities.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

By car: 3 hours from Athens, 45 minutes from Argos and 30 minutes from Nafplio.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

On site there are a refreshment kiosk, a shop at the ticket offices and a stall with casts, books and gifts, as well as a car park.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit