Volos Archeological Museum, Greece, Pelion

The Volos Archaeological Museum, although quite small, is extremely interesting, as it contains significant exhibits, spanning from the Neolithic to the Hellenistic and Roman periods (almost 7 millennia). The building was constructed in 1909, with funds provided by the benefactor Alexios Athanassakis, to house painted grave steles, found in the city of Demetrias (c. 3rd century B.C.).

The museum was recently refurbished and several new annexes were constructed on the occasion of the Athens 2004 Olympics, however I have not had the chance to visit it since it reopened, so I can't give you any... inside info.

In essence, photography within the Museum is prohibited. In other words, you're allowed to use a hand-held camera, but no flash. To use a flash, tripod or camcorder, you will need to obtain a special permit. I'm not aware of the exact procedure, but, to us Greeks, getting any kind of permit, let alone a special one, is usually bad news, as it entails fighting armies of hardened bureaucrats, whose lifetime ambition is to give you a hard time. So, your best bet would be to purchase postcards of the various exhibits, at the ticket stand, just like I did!

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Museum Exhibits

The museum currently houses some exquisite finds from archaeological excavations in Thessaly, that commenced at the beginning of the 20th century and have continued up to the present day.

Exhibits on display include jewelry, household utensils and agricultural tools, originating from the Neolithic settlements of Dimini and Sesklo, as well as clay statuettes and a wide variety of items from the geometric period, a time of great heroic events, such as the Argonautic Expedition and the Trojan War.

There are also statues and uncommon jointed statuettes from the classical period, rare steles with relief work from the Alexandrine period, which still retain their colors, as well as reliefs from the early Christian and Byzantine periods. Other fascinating exhibits include tombs transported in their entirety from the archaeological sites where they were discovered, along with the human skeleton and the offerings placed around it.

I may sound a little macabre, but my favorite exhibits are the tombs. I'm also particularly keen on all Neolithic items, particularly every-day utensils and tools made of, well, stone; the simplicity and effectiveness of their design is mind-blowing.

Just outside the museum there are some interesting reconstructions of the Neolithic houses at Dimini and Sesklo, which are also worth a peek.

The museum is generally open every day of the week, between 08:30 and 15:00, except Mondays and holidays. Regular admission is 2 Euro/person and reduced admission, for E.U. senior citizens aged over 65 and students from countries outside the European Union, is 1 Euro/person. People aged under 18 and university students from E.U. Member-States, can enter the museum for free.

If you're lucky, you may happen on one of the many free-for-all days offered to the public. For further information, you can visit the museum's official site

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Address

The museum is located on the edge of the city. To get there, follow the road to SE Pelion and take a right just after the hospital. It's a huge gray and blue building that's impossible to miss.