Thessaloniki to Get Second Museum for Metro Artifacts, Says Culture Minister

The archaeological site near the Agia Sophia metro station. Photo source: Culture Ministry.

Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni on Monday provided an update on various projects overseen by the Ministry of Culture, with a focus on northern Greece. Notably, one of the highlighted projects is the construction of a new museum designed to display significant relics unearthed during the city’s metro excavations.

Minister Mendoni delivered her report in Thessaloniki during the National Strategy for Regional Development event, which also introduced the digital platform erga.gov.gr. This platform offers information on key projects across Greece.

Mendoni, along with other Greek government officials, is in Thessaloniki this week in preparation for the Thessaloniki International Fair, scheduled to take place this year.

Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Thessaloniki.

During her presentation, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni detailed several ongoing projects in the Central Macedonia region, which have a combined value of over 150 million euros. These projects are funded through the national budget and European Union resources.

Mendoni highlighted the region’s rich cultural heritage, extending back to prehistoric times, and noted its vibrant presence in modern creativity. She emphasized the following key Ministry projects in the area:

– The new museum at Aigai and the restored Palace of Aigai
– The enhancement of the Pella Palace
– The Kasta Tomb in Amphipolis
– The Timios Prodromos Monastery
– The Petralona Caves
– The ancient Agora in Thessaloniki
– The Moglena Byzantine castle in Almopia
– The restoration and enhancement of the Agora at the Dion archaeological site
– The Museum of Greek Refugees and the Museum of Artifacts at the Metropolitan Park of Pavlos Melas army barracks
– The National Conservatory in Thessaloniki
– The Venizelos Metro station

Thessaloniki metro excavation artifacts yield a second museum for the city

Photorealistic portrayal of the museum’s exhibition areas. Photo source: Ministry of Culture.

Minister Mendoni also announced that plans for a second museum in Thessaloniki are nearing completion. This museum will showcase large relics unearthed during the city’s Metro excavations. Scheduled to be located in Sintrivani, the museum is expected to be a unique addition to Europe’s cultural landscape, with a construction budget of 40 million euros.

Finally, Mendoni acknowledged the crucial decision made by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis regarding the Venizelos Metro station. Artifacts discovered during its construction were temporarily removed but have now been returned to their original locations, allowing the recreated archaeological site to be publicly displayed within the station.