Polycentric Museum of Aigai

About the museum

Aigai was the first capital of the Macedonians and lies at today’s Vergina. The Polycentric Museum of Aigai links, with a single ticket, the Central Museum Building, the Museum of the Royal Tombs, the Palace, the Ancient Theatre and the Royal Necropolis, the burial precinct of the Temenids. The exhibitions focus on the everyday life, customs and art of the town’s people, not only on the deeds of the rulers.

The Royal Tombs, discovered in 1977, are housed in an underground protective shell with the outward form of an earthen mound. The visit begins with the theme of death and the lives of ordinary people and leads to the royal burial complexes, where the wall paintings and precious grave goods are kept, among them the tomb of Philip II.

The Palace of Aigai is about 750 metres from the museum; it was a public building that reflected the relationship between Philip II and his subjects. The Central Museum Building, in operation since 2022, is the entrance to the museum and to the archaeological site. It houses a permanent semi-open-air exhibition of sculptures from the town’s sanctuaries and a reconstruction of the upper floor of the palace façade. It is also the physical base of the digital museum “Alexander the Great: From Aigai to the Oikoumene”.

Highlights

• Royal Tombs with wall paintings and grave goods, including the tomb of Philip II
• Palace of Aigai with a single ticket
• Ancient Theatre and Royal Necropolis of the Temenids
• Semi-open-air exhibition of sculptures from the town’s sanctuaries
• Reconstruction of the palace façade in the large courtyard
• Digital museum “Alexander the Great: From Aigai to the Oikoumene”

Permanent exhibitions

• Βασιλικοί Τάφοι – Έκθεση Θησαυρών – Underground exhibition inside an artificial mound with the royal tombs of Aigai, their wall paintings and precious grave goods.
• Μόνιμη έκθεση γλυπτών στο Κεντρικό Μουσειακό Κτήριο – Semi-open-air exhibition of sculptures from the town’s sanctuaries and a reconstruction of the upper floor of the palace façade.

Founded

2022

Operated by

Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού – Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Ημαθίας

Admission & discounts

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

The combined ticket covers the Central Museum Building, the Museum of the Royal Tombs (Treasures Exhibition), the necropolis, the Ancient Theatre and the Palace of Aigai. Tickets are also available online via tickets.hh.gr.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• 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

There are access ramps and accessible toilets for people with disabilities. The site is described as accessible.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Vergina is about 15 minutes by car from Veria and about an hour from Thessaloniki; the archaeological site has a car park.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Café and shop on site.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit