Archaeological Museum of Aegina

Archaeological Museum of Aegina: the museum at Kolona

The Archaeological Museum of Aegina sits next to the Kolona site, about five minutes’ walk from the port, and it was the first national museum in modern Greece, opened in 1829 when Aegina was serving as capital of the newly independent country. That date is not a footnote: it is one of the reasons why the museum, small as it is, holds first-rate pieces. Its collection runs through the ancient history of the island from prehistory to the Roman period, with finds from Kolona, Aphaia, the sanctuary of Zeus Hellanios and other sites around Aegina.

Why Aegina had so much to show

In antiquity, Aegina was a naval power that rivalled Athens and that struck the first silver coin in European Greece (the famous “Aegina turtle”) around the 6th century BC. That wealth translated into pottery, sculpture and goldsmithing workshops of a very high standard, and many of their pieces ended up in this museum when archaeologists started excavating Kolona seriously in the late nineteenth century.

What to see inside

• The Aegina sphinx, an archaic sculpture that is the star piece of the museum and one of the finest examples of the 6th-century BC Aeginetan style.
• Neolithic and Bronze Age pottery from the oldest layers at Kolona.
• Archaic and classical funerary stelae, several with inscriptions that let you read the names of ancient inhabitants.
• Votive offerings from the Temple of Aphaia: bronze figurines, miniature weapons, jewellery.
• Silver coins with the turtle, symbol of Aeginetan sea power.
• Scale reconstructions of the sanctuary of Apollo and of the Temple of Aphaia itself.

It is a small collection but very well curated: in 45 minutes to an hour you can go through the whole thing at an unhurried pace.

Practical information

• Location: inside the Kolona archaeological site, at Patriarxou Grigoriou E 1, Aegina town. A 5-7 minute walk from the port.
• Official entry: 10 € standard and 5 € reduced, also valid for the site. Free entry days: 18 May, 6 March, 18 April, the last weekend of September and 28 October.
• Hours: seasonal. Usually open 10:00-17:00 and closed on Tuesdays; in summer they extend to 19:00. Worth confirming beforehand at odysseus.culture.gr.
• Panels: in Greek and English.
• Accessibility: ramp access to the ground floor, upper floor only by stairs.

Pain points and advice

• Is the detour worth it? Yes, above all because entry is included with the site. Skipping it means going to Kolona and looking at it blind.
• Do you need ancient Greek? No. The English panels and labels are enough for a visit without a guide.
• How much time to give it? 45 minutes to an hour is plenty. If you are short on time, give it at least 30 minutes.
• Combine it with Kolona to get a better grip on Aegina’s history and, if you still have a morning free, add the Temple of Aphaia in the afternoon. It is the logical stop after the temple of Apollo and a good way to round off the archaeological side of the island.