Piraeus: Greece’s First Underwater Antiquities Museum to Open by 2026

An impression of the new museum in Piraeus. Photo source: Culture Ministry

The construction of the Greece’s first National Museum of Underwater Antiquities in Piraeus is swiftly progressing, according to the Greek Culture Ministry, with plans to welcome its first visitors in 2026.

As part of efforts to transform Piraeus into an international cultural destination, the museum is set to be housed in a 1934 silo granted to the ministry by the Piraeus Port Authority (PPA), with an additional building under construction to accommodate its innovative collections.

Photo source: Culture Ministry

The museum will feature over 2,500 exhibits and cutting-edge technological applications, supported by state-of-the-art maintenance laboratories and storage facilities. Additionally, the historic conveyor belt, once used for loading ships, will be preserved and prominently showcased alongside the new building, serving as a landmark for Greece’s largest port.

“The National Museum of Underwater Antiquities aims to showcase the enduring legacy of Greek civilization through discoveries from our seas, in a dedicated space exclusively exhibiting underwater antiquities,” said Culture Minister Lina Mendoni.

National Museum of Underwater Antiquities overview

The construction site of the museum. Photo source: Culture Ministry

With a budget of 93.000.000 million euros, construction of the museum began in 2023, including restoration work on the historic silo. A new building has been added to facilitate the display of exhibits and emphasize the silo’s industrial heritage.

Spanning a total area of 26,380sq.m, the museum’s premises include 7,550sq.m of exhibition space for permanent and temporary displays, facilities for educational and scientific activities such as an amphitheater, library, and multimedia areas, conservation workshops, visitor services including a reception, cloakroom, shop, café, restaurant, infirmary, and administrative offices.

An impression of the museum’s exhibition halls. Photo source: Culture Ministry

According to Lina Mendoni, the ministry is utilizing the latest technology to enhance the museum accessibility offering guests the opportunity to dive into sunken settlements, shipwrecks, ship models, hulls and cargo of merchant ships, maps and diagrams.

An impression of a 3D trireme depiction as a museum technological artifact. Photo source: Culture Ministry

To support this vision, the design features ramps, elevators, and spacious pathways between exhibits, while intellectually, it provides a gradation of informational materials, tactile exhibits, and multiple levels of information accessibility.

The exhibition experience is primarily achieved through built-in and freestanding display cases, pedestals, custom constructions, specialized lighting, digital media and applications, as well as visual information materials and signage in both printed and digital formats.

Six key exhibition themes

Photo source: Culture Ministry

The museum’s planned collection will be divided into six thematic sections, showcasing Piraeus’ rich history as a maritime center, underwater archaeology, and the relationship between humans and the marine ecosystem.

The sections are:

– Sea, environment, man

– Underwater archaeology

– “Time Capsules” at the Bottom: Stations in Time

– Approaching the past piecemeal

– Underwater cultural heritage open to society

– Silo and Piraeus: Interconnected stories

Photo source: Culture Ministry

The exhibition will follow a predetermined route, beginning in the Silo building, where the first two thematic axes will be located. From there, visitors will move to the new building to explore the remaining parts of the exhibition.