On International Museum Day, Friday, 18 May, 2018, the Acropolis Museum will be open from 8 am – 10 pm, with free admission to both its permanent displays and the temporary exhibition “Eleusis. The Great Mysteries”. 

On the occasion of this annual celebration, the Acropolis Museum will distribute commemorative medallions, produced in collaboration with the Greek National Mint, bearing a design inspired by the hunting dog sculpture (520 BC) displayed in the Museum’s Archaic Gallery.

During excavations south of the Parthenon, within a layer of ancient destruction, a life-sized, nearly intact, marble dog was unearthed. The animal is shown with muscles tensed, his body poised for attack, as he seems to have caught sight of his prey. His discovery in the sanctuary of Athena is puzzling, as dogs were not permitted there. On the contrary, they were well-known companions of Artemis, goddess of the hunt, who had a small sanctuary of her own near the Parthenon. The ancient Greeks, already from Homer’s time, greatly valued hunting dogs, with the hounds of Laconia and Crete especially prized for their strength, intelligence and speed.

The commemorative medallions will be available for visitors at the Museum's Shops