After years of planning and preparation, the new Acropolis Museum is finally open in Athens, providing a venue worthy of the priceless treasures it holds. The museum, which welcomed its first visitors on June 21, is a staggering glass-and-marble structure designed by Bernard Tschumi that at once blends into the surroundings and makes a statement of its own. Located just 400 meters from the Acropolis itself, visitors will find more than 4,000 pieces of art spread out of 226,000 square feet of gallery space on three levels. The museum houses some of the finest masterpieces in Greek history, from the archaic to the Roman Empire, in its cutting-edge galleries. The third floor Parthenon Gallery, for example, presents the Temple Sculptures - including the famous Chryselephantyne statue of Athena - against a backdrop of the Parthenon itself. The view at sunset must be spectacular. The museum has a view of on-going archaeological excavations as well, with its ground level "hovering" above digs where researchers are unearthing items that date back to 700 B.C. Who knows, you might just catch the history bug and join them in writing the story of this great civilization, piece by piece. Starwood has three hotels in Athens, including the luxurious Hotel Grande Bretagne, a member of the Luxury Collection.
