Three major museums in Greece are in partial operation or closed, after the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced irregularities in the recruitment process, withdrew all job vacancies and is faced with staff shortages. The Delphi archaeological site is also partially closed from January 22 until further notice.

The National Archaeological Museum of Athens and award-winning Byzantine Museum of Culture in Thessaloniki will offer visitors limited access to exhibitions for at least three weeks, and the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens only opens on days specified on its Web site under “News.” A total of 29 museums and 24 archaeological sites are affected, though the majority are located in lesser known regions (see list below).

In an attempt to eliminate waste in the public sector and par down the country’s deficit, government ministers decided to not renew or replace 4,000 temporary contracts that expired December 31. However, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture opened recruitment on December 14 for 2,584 hourly, fixed-contract workers it needed to staff museums, archaeological sites and monuments, which are an integral part of the tourism industry, Greece’s #1 source of income.

*Article updated February 1, 2010

Museums

National Archaeological Museum of Athens (Top floor closed on weekends; no discount in admission)
Byzantine Museum of Culture in Thessaloniki (7 of 11 rooms are closed; admission price reduced by 50%)
Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens

Ancient Olympia Museum (Digital exhibition closed)
Archaeological Collection of Trikala
Archaeological Museum of Argostoli
Archaeological Museum of Agios Nikolaos, Crete
Archaeological Museum of Astypalaia
Archaeological Museum of Atalantis (Open weekends only)
Archaeological Museum of Karpathos
Archaeological Museum of Kassos
Archaeological Museum of Leros
Archaeological Museum of Lykosoura
Archaeological Museum of Nisyros
Archaeological Museum of Pellas (Closed weekends)
Archaeological Museum of Rhodes (Epigraph & Prehistoric Collection closed)
Archaeological Museum of Thebes
Archaeological Museum in Thessaloniki (Six rooms closed)
Archaeological Museum of Veria (Closed weekends)
Athens Numismatic Museum (Schliemann Mansion) – ‘B’ Floor closed; museum closed Sunday
Byzantine Museum of Symi
Byzantine Museum of Kastellorizo
Folklore Museum of Rhodes
Mourtzinos Castle Museum in Kardamyli
Nikolaos Vouvalis Mansion on Kalymnos
Nicolaides Mansion on Patmos
Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes – Two permanent exhibitions on ground floor closed; castle and other areas open

* Museums at Delphi and Sparta report shortages, but they were not listed as closed on the ministry’s list

Sites

Archaeological site of Delphi – Partial closure due to landslides caused by earthquakes; free admission
Archaeological site of Lato, Crete
Archaeological site of Malia, Crete
Archaeological site of Sesklo, Magnesia
Archaeological site of Europos, Kilkis
Archaeological site of Palatiani, Kilkis
Archaeological site of Lefkas (Open weekends only)
Archaeological site of Amfipoli, Serres
Archaeological site of Florina (Hellenistic city)
Archaeological site of Petras
Archaeological site of Pelinnas, Trikala
Asklepieion of Trikala
Temple of Apollo, Karditsa
Archaeological site of Sikyona, Karditsa
Archaeological site of Kieriou, Karditsa
Archaeological site of Itonias Athena, Karditsa
Archaeological site of Peristeria
Archaeological site of Vravrona
Byzantine Collection of Ag. Germanos Prespa
Castle Antirion
Castle Arta
Castle Fanari (Ithome Karditsa)
Castle Mytilene
Castle Vonitsa

Reopened

Archaeological Museum of Dion

*Article will be amended as changes are announced.

Sources

“Δελτία Τύπου 11/1/2010” — Το Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού και Τουρισμού
“Δελτία Τύπου 13/1/2010” — Το Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού και Τουρισμού
“Δελτία Τύπου 15/1/2010” — Το Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού και Τουρισμού
“Κλείνει προληπτικά λόγω της σεισμικής ακολουθίας, τμήμα του αρχαιολογικού χώρου των Δελφών” — Το Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού και Τουρισμού
“Κλειστά μουσεία και αρχαιολογικοί χώροι λόγω έλλειψης προσωπικού” — Diorismos.gr
“News and Announcements” — Byzantine and Christian Museum
“Κλείνουν τα μουσεία για χάρη της «διαφάνειας»” — Ta Nea
“Ministry cites personnel shortage for closed museums, sites” — ANA-MPA
“Acute lack of staff affects museums” — eKathimerini
“Διαμαρτυρίες για τα 49 κλειστά μουσεία και αρχαιολογικούς χώρους” — Ta Nea

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