Greece’s First Underwater Museum Makes Headlines in Int’l Media

A few days before its official opening, Greece’s first underwater museum, located off the coast of the islet of Peristera near Alonissos, has attracted the attention of international media.

Set to open on August 3, the museum showcases the 5th-century shipwreck of Peristera and its cargo consisting of thousands of wine amphoras.

The Smithsonian magazine, that belongs to the world’s largest museum and research complex, urges its readers to visit the museum and discover its secrets. The online magazine also refers to Greece’s successful handling of the coronavirus panemic. Smithsonian’s online edition counts 11.5 million unique visitors.

The museum’s opening also made headlines on Travel + Leisure (T+L) magazine. T+L, which counts around 9 million internet visitors, refers to the history of the Peristera shipwreck in its online article titled “This ancient shipwreck is now an underwater museum in Greece”.

Also, Timeout.com, a website focusing on culture and entertainment with an estimated 12 million visits, refers to the underwater museum as well as to the culture ministry’s information center operating in the Chora of Alonissos, offering visitors the chance to “visit” the Peristera shipwreck through augmented reality tours.

In addition, Matador Network, that specializes in adventure travel with 3.4 million visitors per month, refers to the shipwreck’s historical significance and Greece’s prevention measures for COVID-19.

The Peristera shipwreck is considered as one of the most interesting in Greece due to its archaeological significance and the area’s rich marine life. It was discovered in 1985 near the western coast of Peristera at a depth of 28 meters.

Amateur and professional divers will be able to visit the underwater museum with guided dives from August 3 until October 2.