EVENTS

The upgrading and extension of the National Archaeological Museum building was the subject of an architectural design competition, which started in November 2021 and was completed in December 2022. The ten proposals submitted by the partnerships of Greek and foreign architectural firms were evaluated by a seven-member International Multidisciplinary Committee, which unanimously selected the proposal of the renowned and award-winning architectural firms “David Chipperfield Architects” and “Alexandros N. Tombazis and Associates Architects SA”. The proposal of Chipperfield-Tombazis and their associates was presented by them at an event at the National Archaeological Museum on 15 February 2023 in the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

On April 17, 2024, a donation agreement was signed between the Ministry of Culture and the National Archaeological Museum as donors and Dr Spyros I. Latsis and Dorothy S. Latsis as donors, whereby the donors undertook to finance, exclusively at their own expense and up to the amount of forty million (40,000,000.00) euros, the preparation by the above architectural offices of all the necessary studies required for the full maturation of the architectural draft at the level of the project’s tender. The donation by Spyros and Dorothy Latsis is made in memory of Ioannis and Erietta Latsis.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made the following statement: ‘The National Archaeological Museum thus acquires the place it deserves. The National Archaeological Museum of Greece now has the rightful place where it deserves its rightful place, while the image of the centre of the capital is decisively improved. This donation is a noble gesture in memory of Ioannis and Errietta Latsis. But it is also a clear demonstration of the many things our country can achieve when the public and private sectors join forces for the collective good.”

Minister of Culture  Lina Mendoni, immediately after the signing of the Donation Agreement, said: “With their generous donation, Spyros and Dorothy Latsis create the conditions for the implementation of a visionary and unique project. Their contribution is not only to the National Archaeological Museum, the largest and most important ark of masterpieces of ancient Greek art in the world.”