Museum Day: free excursions on May 18

May 18, 2026 Greece will open free admission to state museums and archaeological sites. A number of museums will host excursions, lectures and concerts.

National Archaeological Museum of Athens will take part in the celebration International Museum Day 2026which this year is held under the motto “Museums unite the world”. On Monday May 18, 2026entrance to the museum will be free for all visitors, as well as for participants of special thematic excursions.

According to the program published National Archaeological Museumtwo thematic excursions dedicated to the ancient cultures of the Aegean world have been prepared for guests. The number of participants is limited: each group will be able to take part in up to 25 people.

• The first excursion will take place from 12:00 to 13:00 and will be called “Cyclades: a single society 5000 years ago”. It will be conducted by an archaeologist Katya ManteliHead of the Department of Collections of Prehistoric, Egyptian, Cypriot and Near Eastern Antiquities.
• The second excursion will take place from 17:00 to 18:00. Its theme is “From Knossos to Mycenae: Minoan influences on the early Mycenaean world and the turbulent outcome of bilateral relations”. The tour will be led by an archaeologist Kostas Paschalidisemployee of the same collections department.

To participate in thematic excursions, a preliminary telephone appointment is required at +30 695 201 1340. The organizers separately clarify that free admission to the museum on this day applies to both ordinary visitors and participants of these events.

International Museum Day celebrated annually May 18. In Greece, this date is traditionally included in the number of days of free admission to museums and archaeological sites, which is also reminiscent of Greek Ministry of Culture. So yes, it’s a rare case that government cultural policy does something nice without a cash register at the entrance.

May 18, 2026V International Museum Daypublic museums, archaeological sites and historical sites of Greece will be open to visitors for free. This year’s theme for the celebration is “Museums unite the world”.

According to the rules Greek Ministry of Culture, May 18 is one of the days of free entry for all visitors to state museums, archaeological areas, historical sites and monuments under the jurisdiction of the Ministry. On this day, many institutions also hold special events: themed excursions, lectures, music programs and educational meetings.

Free entry: main museums and sites

Free entry applies to public museums and archaeological sites throughout the country. Among them:

• Acropolis
• Ancient Agora of Athens
• Roman Agora
• Hadrian’s Library
• Ceramics
• Olympion – Temple of Olympian Zeus
• National Archaeological Museum of Athens
• Epigraphic Museum
• Numismatic Museum
• Byzantine and Christian Museum
• Archaeological Museum of Piraeus
• Archaeological site of Sounion – Temple of Poseidon
• Archaeological site of Eleusis
• Archaeological site of Ramnunt
• Archaeological site Bravron
• Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki
• Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki
• White Tower
• Rotunda
• Archaeological site of Vergina/Egi
• Archaeological site of Pella
• Archaeological site of Dion
• Archaeological site of Philippi
• Archaeological site of Delphi
• Archaeological Museum of Delphi
• Archaeological site Ancient Olympia
• Archaeological Museum of Olympia
• Museum of the History of the Ancient Olympic Games
• Archaeological site of Mycenae
• Archaeological site Epidaurus
• Archaeological site of Mystras
• Knossos Palace
• Archaeological Museum of Heraklion
• Archaeological Museum of Chania
• Archaeological Museum of Rethymnon
• Archaeological Museum of Rhodes
• Palace of the Grand Masters in Rhodes
• Asklepion on Kos
• Archaeological site of Delos
• Archaeological Museum of Corfu

This is not a complete list: on May 18, free entry is valid for all relevant government facilities of the Ministry of Culture. Before visiting, it is worth checking the opening hours of a particular museum or archaeological site, because the schedule of Greek institutions sometimes lives with its own ancient drama.

Events May 18

In addition to free admission, a number of museums have prepared special programs.

• National Archaeological Museum of Athens: two free thematic excursions. WITH 12:00 to 13:00 — “Cyclades: a single society 5000 years ago”the tour will be led by an archaeologist Katya Manteli. WITH 17:00 to 18:00 — “From Knossos to Mycenae: Minoan influences on the early Mycenaean world and the turbulent outcome of bilateral relations”the tour will be led by an archaeologist Kostas Paschalidis. Participation is limited 25 visitors in each group, telephone registration required: +30 695 201 1340. Information published on the website National Archaeological Museum.
• Acropolis Museum: On May 18 the museum will be open from 09:00 to 17:00admission to all exhibition spaces will be free. On the same day, mini-piano concerts by the pianist will be held Manos Kitsikopoulos within International Piano City Athens Festival. Performances are scheduled for 11:00, 12:00 And 13:00the duration of each is about 30 minutesreports Acropolis Museum.
• Epigraphic Museum: V 11:00 Museum archaeologists will conduct a special thematic tour of selected inscriptions. This is reported by Days of Art.
• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens: V 18:00 there will be an event “EKΚΠΑ University Museums connect science with society”. It will take place in Museum of Archeology and History of Art, Faculty of Philosophy in the university town of Zografou, reports ΕΚΠΑ.
• Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki: program includes lecture “Costumeography. From home to travel” With 18:30 to 19:00 and a musical event with 20:30 to 22:00. Information published on the website Ministry of Culture.
• Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki And White Tower: On May 18th admission will be free. The Museum of Byzantine Culture is also preparing thematic activities aimed at the active participation of visitors and the connection of the past with the present through memory, reports Museum of Byzantine Culture.
• ΙΜΜΑ: May 18 at 11:00 And 12:00 There will be free tours of the museum’s permanent collection. This is reported by ERTnews.
• Vasilis and Eliza Goulandris Foundation: With 18:30 to 20:30 a free thematic master class will be held “Museums Uniting a Divided World”. Participation is free, but advance online registration is required; the number of participants is limited 24reports B&E Goulandris Foundation.
• Rethymno: May 18 free entry announced for Archaeological Museum of Rethymnon, Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete And Museum of Ancient Elefthernaaccording to the tourism portal Rethymno Guide.

What is important for visitors to know

Even with free entry, individual events may require pre-registrationespecially when it comes to excursions and master classes with a limited number of participants. Therefore, before visiting, it is better to check the website of a particular museum or call the organizers.

International Museum Day – a rare opportunity to see the largest archaeological and museum collections in Greece for free. And if you are lucky with the recording, you can also get into special excursions, lectures or concerts. In a country where sometimes even the queue at the ticket office looks like an archaeological layer, a free cultural day is an event worth taking advantage of.

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