The second thematic section contains characteristic dedications of the 5th century BC from the Acropolis, a period from which few such objects have survived into our time. Most are preserved in very fragmentary condition; nevertheless, they provide a picture of the kind of dedications offered during this period, at the apex of Athenian history and of the Acropolis.

The major construction works conducted on the Acropolis after the mid-5th century BC altered the general appearance of the Rock, while the dedications destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC were replaced with new offerings that included the works of great artists and highlighted Athenian democracy and its free citizenry.