Athanasakeion Archaeological Museum of Volos

About the museum

The Athanasakeion Archaeological Museum of Volos owes its existence to three people: Alexios Athanasakis, who financed its construction, the archaeologist Apostolos Arvanitopoulos, who excavated important sites in Thessaly, and Professor Giorgos Chourmouziadis, who designed the exhibition in a pioneering way.

The elegant neoclassical building was inaugurated in 1909 to house the painted funerary stelai that Arvanitopoulos discovered in the ancient city of Demetrias, an outstanding example of Hellenistic painting. Since then seven more rooms have been added, with finds from the whole range of excavations in Thessaly, from the Neolithic to the Roman period.

Visitors are often drawn to the Neolithic settlements, because the objects are not enclosed in display cases. Chourmouziadis, who designed the exhibition in 1975–1976, placed them on bases and shelves made of materials similar to those of the Neolithic period (wood, reed, stone, linen), with no barrier between the visitor and the object.

Highlights

• Painted funerary stelai from ancient Demetrias
• Neolithic finds without display cases, on bases of wood, reed and stone
• Exhibition designed by Giorgos Chourmouziadis (1975–1976)
• Neoclassical building of 1909

Permanent exhibition

• Μόνιμη έκθεση αρχαιοτήτων της Θεσσαλίας – Finds from the Neolithic to the Roman period, with the painted stelai of Demetrias and the objects of the Neolithic settlements as highlights.

Founded

1909

Operated by

Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Μαγνησίας (Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού)

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.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• 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

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum is about 15 minutes on foot and about 10 minutes by car from the centre of Volos.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.