Archaeological Museum of Olympia

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Archaeological Museum of Olympia


Established	1982 (New museum)
Location	Ancient Olympia, Elis, Greece
Type	Archaeological museum
Website	ancientolympiamuseum.com

The Archaeological Museum of Olympia (Greek: Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Ολυμπίας) is one of the principal museums of Greece, located in Olympia. It is overseen by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and, as of 2009, is directed by Georgia Xatzi. When the original building was completed and opened in 1888, it was the first museum in Greece outside of Athens.

The museum houses discoveries from the surrounding area, including the site of the Ancient Olympic Games. The collection includes objects produced and used in the area from prehistory to its time under Roman rule. The principal pieces in the museum are Hermes and the Infant Dionysus (attributed to Praxiteles), some objects from the Temple of Zeus, the Nike of Paionios, as well as an oenochoe that belonged to Phidias. The extent of its bronze collection makes it one of the most important in the world.

Today, the museum is housed in two buildings: the principal building with twelve rooms for exhibitions, organized both around themes and ages of the objects. The other building is dedicated to the museum store, and is separate from the main structure, located on the path to the archaeological site.

History of the museum

Excavation work at Altis in the 19th century quickly necessitated the construction of a building to display unearthed objects and works of art. The banker Andreas Syggros spent 220,000 drachmas to fund the building and entrusted design and construction to two German architects and archaeologists who had begun excavating the site. Wilhelm Dorpfeld and Friedrich Adler, the architects, oversaw construction of a neo-classical building which was erected on the hill of Drouva near the road from Olympia to the sanctuary. Completed in 1888, it was the first Greek museum built outside of Athens. It was damaged in 1954 by an earthquake, and later proved too small to house and display the museum’s expanding collections. Plans to build a new museum were approved in the 1970s. Although it was unused for some time, the original building was re-purposed; since 2004, it has been a museum about the history of the original Olympic games.

Collections

Collection of terracottas (prehistoric, Archaic and Classical periods).
Collection of bronzes.
Collection of sculptures (Archaic up to the Roman periods).
Collection from the Olympic Games.

Notable holdings and exhibits

The Hermes and the Infant Dionysus by Praxiteles (possibly)
The Nike of Paionios
The Winged Gorgoneion
Zeus carrying Ganymedes
Pediments of the Temple of Zeus
The helmet of Miltiades
Miniature bronze statue of a horse

The statue of Apollo from the west pediment of the Temple of Zeus was depicted on the obverse of the Greek 1000 drachmas banknote of 1987-2001.

Gallery

Museum plan
Late archaic terracotta statue of Zeus and Ganymede
Hermes and the Infant Dionysus
Nike of Paionios
Statue of Hadrian
Bronze female winged figure, 590-580 BC. A rare surviving example of hammered bronze sculpture, may be Artemis, Nike or a Sphinx.
A terracotta disc which once stood at the apex of the Temple of Hera, Olympia, possibly symbolising the sun.
The central figures of the east Pediment of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. The main figure is Zeus, to his left is Pelops and to his right is Oinomaus in a chariot race.
Metope from the Temple of Zeus, depicting the 11th labour of Hercules. In front of Hercules is Atlas and behind is Athena.
Helmet of Miltiades, 490 BC.
Bronze griffin head, 7th century BC.

References

"Museum of the History of the Olympic Games of Antiquity". World Heritage Journeys of Europe. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
Bank of Greece Archived March 28, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Drachma Banknotes & Coins: 1000 drachmas Archived October 5, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. – Retrieved on 27 March 2009.

External links

37°38′36.30″N 21°37′45.80″E / 37.6434167°N 21.6293889°E / 37.6434167; 21.6293889

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