New Archaeological Museum of Sparta

Plans to construct a new archaeological museum in the Peloponnese town of Sparta are making progress. The existing Archaeological Museum fell into disrepair years after opening, and now much of the collection is stored in warehouses offsite. The project for the new museum at a new site will restore the city’s former Hymofix factory, a preserved status building constructed in 1959 and designed by Greek architect Takis Zenetos, to house the new museum. The new Museum aims to combine architecture, history and landscape into a single narrative and museum experience for Sparta, upgrade the city’s cultural infrastructure and showcase its significant cultural reserve through contemporary means. The site will offer an indoor exhibition narrative that will be combined with outdoor archaeological artefacts and the historical landscape of Sparta to chronologically explore the art and history of ancient Sparta from the Mycenaean to the Roman period (1100 BC-324 AD). In September 2019, MoR-architects and EP Architects won the architectural competition to design the new Archaeological Museum of Sparta. However, like many projects in 2019, the emerging Covid-19 pandemic and various economic factors seem to have delayed the project. The building will be designed with accessibility in mind and will have the capacity to host travelling exhibitions, events, and temporary shows. The proposed design includes a cafe, a shop, a service area, workshops, study spaces, and warehouses. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation has granted the Greek Culture Ministry funds towards the project as part of a package for the conservation of local heritage sites like the ‘Europa House’, a nearby Roman mosaic. The Foundation’s funds will also contribute towards the renovation of the dilapidated existing Archaeological Museum site.  In November 2022, it was reported that the Greek Culture Ministry had approved feasibility studies for the project. These preliminary studies were budgeted €2.75 million euros. However, a full project budget has yet to be announced, and our current budget and opening date is currently estimated. (Updated 23 January 2023)