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My Favourite Planet > English > Europe > Greece > Macedonia > Polygyros |
Polygyros, Halkidiki, Greece |
Polygyros gallery |
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Construction work on the new archaeological museum in Polygyros, September 2012. |
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Update 2019 |
Polygyros Archaeological Museum reopens |
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The newly rebuilt Polygyros Archaeological Museum (Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Πολυγύρου) was inaugurated on Sunday 24 March 2019 and is finally open to the public again. Although only a fraction of its large collection of ancient objects is currently on display, it is hoped that the exhibition can be expanded by 2020.
First opened in May 1971, it is the largest and most important museum in Halkidiki and houses archaeological finds from sites around the peninsula, including ancient Stageira, Aphytos, Ierissos, Olynthos, Pyrgadikia, Sane, Stratoni and Toroni. Exhibits illustrate human occupation of the area through the Palaeolithic, Neolithic, Geometric, Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods.
The museum was closed in 2011 for renovation and the building of a large extension, originally scheduled to be completed by the end of 2013. However, the reopening was postponed several times and then suspended indefinitely. The cause was lack of funds, mainly due to the Greek economic crisis. Although the building itself was completed, not enough of the budget remained for the fixtures and fittings for the display of the museum exhibits (see Museum BOOM at The Cheshire Cat Blog).
In December 2017 the Society of Friends of the Archaeological Museum of Polygyros (Η Εταιρεία Φίλων του Αρχαιολογικού Μουσείου Πολυγύρου) was founded by museum staff, local people and other interested individuals and organizations in cooperation with the Ephorate of Antiquities of Chalkidiki and Mount Athos. Fundraising for such projects in Greece at present is an almost impossible task, but due to the determination and hard work of the society they have now managed to raise sufficient funds through donations and sponsorships to reopen part of the museum.
The current exhibition is titled "Ioannis Lambropoulos Collection: A collector and an archaeologist from the past in a conversation about the future" (Συλλογή Ιωάννη Λαμπρόπουλο: Ένας συλλέκτης και ένας αρχαιολόγος από το παρελθόν συνομιλούν σε χρόνο μέλλοντα), as a tribute to the antiquities collector Ioannis Lambropoulos [1] and archaeologist Charalambos Makaronas [2]. The substantial Lambropoulos Collection, consisting of around 1,000 artefacts from Polygyros and surrounding areas, was donated to the museum in 1995 by his son Iraklis Lambropoulos.
Despite the importance of the museum to historical research as well as local culture and tourism, the reopening has so far received very little publicity, being reported mainly by local media. The best report I have found so far is by the Orthodoxia News Agency, which also provides some background information on the Lambropoulos Collection and the current state of the museum as an institution:
Εγκαίνια Αρχαιολογικής Συλλογής στο Μουσείο Πολυγύρου (Opening of the Archaeological Collection at the Polygyros Museum), 26 March 2019. At the Orthodoxia News Agency.
We wish the staff of the museum and members of the society the best of luck in their endeavours, and hope that the relevant authorities in Thessaloniki, Athens and Brussels are taking notice.
David John, 9 June 2019
If you have further current information about the museum, please get in contact. |
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Poster for the opening of the Lambropoulos Collection exhibition in Polygyros Archaeological Museum, 24 March 2019.
See a larger version of the poster (opens in a new window).
Polygyros Archaeological Museum
Odos Stadiou 1, Iroon Square, 63100 Polygyros.
Tel: (+30) 23710 22148
Opening hours:
Tuesday - Sunday 8:00 - 15:00
Monday closed
Tickets: €2, reduced €1 |
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Yep, the Polygyros Archaeological Museum is (was) definitely closed.
photo: © Konstanze Gundudis 2012 |
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Polygyros Archaeological Museum |
Notes, references and links |
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1. Ioannis Lambropoulos
Ioannis Lambropoulos (Ιωάννης Λαμπρόπουλος, 1894-1972) was a lawyer and politican with a passion for archaeology. Born in the village of Lakka (Λάκκα), Achaia, northern Peloponnese, he studied at the Kapodistrian University in Athens, where he also attended classes in archaeology. In 1922 he was appointed deputy governor of the prefecture of Chalkidiki, and although he resigned a year later he decided to remain in Polygyros, practised as a lawyer and remained committed to local politics.
In the 1930s he was given official permission to collect archaeological finds which he rescued or purchased in Polygyros and surrounding areas, from sites which were otherwise neglected and in constant danger of being looted or destroyed. After his death, his son Iraklis Lambropoulos (Ηρακλής Λαμπρόπουλος, 1931-2004), a retired merchant navy captain, donated the substantial collection to the Greek state in 1995, with the sole condition that it should remain in Polygyros and be exhibited in a special room in the museum created especially for it. Iraklis died in October 2004, just a few days before the first exhibition of the collection opened.
2. Charalambos Makaronas
Charalambos Makaronas (Xαράλαμπος Μακαρόνας, 1905-1977) was one of the great pioneers of archaeology in Central Macedonia. In 1942 he discovered and excavated the Hellenistic Macedonian "Tomb of Lyson and Kallikles" at Mieza (modern Lefkadia), near Naousa, Imathia, Macedonia. From 1957 to 1963 he led the first systematic excavations at Pella with Photios Petsas (see History of Pella). He served as the Ephor of Antiquities of Central Macedonia 1942-1965, during which period he was also director of the Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum. |
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Additional photos: © Konstanze Gundudis
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