Visiting Athens makes the imagination come alive. The city of Athena is full of stories of Greek Gods and ancient mythology, and there’s no better place to explore this than on this tour of the National Archaeological Museum of Athens for kids. During this 2.5-hour visit designed for children, we’ll explore Greece through the lens of the gods and heroes of Greek Mythology and encounter the most important statues, pottery and other artifacts uncovered on the Acropolis.

We’ll begin our conversation just outside the Athens Archaeological Museum, and together we’ll plunge into one of the most exciting museums in Europe. Using the vast collection of visual stimuli available, together we’ll make Greek mythological stories come to life. 

We will explore statues of the Greek gods in the sculpture section of the museum, perhaps learning the story of Zeus, the father of the gods, or other deities and myths. We can discuss literary evidence and the connections between Greece and the ancient Middle East. Our discussion will be very question-based and interactive: What do you know about the Greek gods? What do you see in this statue? What does this hero seem to be thinking?

 From there, we’ll dig deeper and investigate statues of other gods (Dionysus, Hermes, Poseidon, etc.) and talk about their mythological lives. Among them, we will see the famous statue of the frivolous god Pan making advances to Aphrodite, while she is threatening him with her sandal and is defended by her son Eros. Perhaps we’ll talk about Demeter, her daughter Persephone, the Eleusinian mysteries, and Greek concepts of the Underworld.

After the gods, we will talk about heroes, including Heracles and Theseus. We can discuss such stories as Theseus’ expedition to Crete to kill the Minotaur, and his success thanks to the help of Ariadne. If the group prefers, we can move to the Mycenaean section of the museum and see the famous ‘mask of Agamemnon’ and other exhibits from the Mycenaean period. At this point, we will talk about the Greek expedition to Troy led by Agamemnon, the battle's aftermath, and the return of the heroes to mainland Greece, as well as the fate of the leader himself. 

By the end of our time together we’ll have a very rich understanding of how Greek statuary, pottery, and other artifacts reflect the living culture of the ancient Greeks.

Please note: 
Starting February 2024, the galleries of the Vases, Metalwork and Minor Arts Collections will not be accessible to visitors due to renovation works.

Kids may want to read our post on Greek Mythology.

Is this walk appropriate for teens?
Our family tours are primarily designed for children under the age of 12, and this one in particular is ideal for young kids. For teens we would recommend our private adult Bronze, Marble and Gold: Paragons of Ancient Greece tour, the content for which can be adapted to an age-appropriate level.

Is this tour suitable for visitors with mobility issues?
Yes. The museum is wheelchair accessible and it has wheelchairs available to loan.