Greek culture

Against the backdrop of the scandal of the theft of hundreds of valuable objects from the British Museum, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni has told MPs that "the government has a strategic plan regarding the claim for the Parthenon Sculptures."

Against the backdrop of the scandal of the theft of hundreds of valuable objects from the British Museum, Greece's Culture Minister Lina Mendoni stressed that the institution's argument for the non-return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece has collapsed.

The Acropolis Museum has refuted reports that coins were removed from its excavation site on August 22.

In "The Tale of Tools: The Untold Narrative of Wooden Handiwork Implements from Greece," the Benaki Museum (benaki.org) has put together a very informative presentation that showcases beautifully crafted tools used in traditional spinning, sewing, knitting and embroidery.

Delving into this year's International Museum Day theme of sustainability and how cultural institutions are affected by climate change and can contribute to combatting its effects, the Museum of Byzantine Culture (mbp.gr) presents a two-part exhibition, "Phoenix - Agon," which casts artifacts beside modern works of art.

Nurse and long-distance cyclist Vasiliki Voutzaki is a member of an eight-person team that embarked on an endurance challenge a few days ago with a noble goal: to cover the distance from the British Museum to the Acropolis Museum, spanning 3,500 kilometers, on bicycles, while carrying the message of the reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures.

Visits to the Acropolis of Athens, Greece's most popular archaeological site, will be capped starting next month at a maximum 20,000 daily and subject to varying hourly entry limits, the Greek government said Wednesday.

The program of visitor zones at the site of the Acropolis Hill in Athens will begin in early September on a pilot basis, according to Culture Minister Lina Mendoni.

She said that the program will be implemented at all archaeological sites that have electronic tickets from April 1, 2024.

The Council of State has ordered a freeze on the construction of two new hotels across the street from the National Archaeological Museum in downtown Athens following a complaint lodged by the Elliniki Etairia Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage and 23 individuals concerning their size.

A third successive heatwave in Greece pushed temperatures back above 40 degrees Celsius (104F) across parts of the country Tuesday.

In Athens, authorities resumed afternoon closing hours at the ancient Acropolis, from 1 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., as part of broader measures to protect visitors, and staff, from the oppressive heat.