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Bonds and affinities among successional spaces: spatial performativity in the New Museum of the Acropolis in Athens

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2025

Myrto Veikou Open the ORCID record for Myrto Veikou [Opens in a new window]
Myrto Veikou*
Affiliation:
University of Patras – Uppsala University
*
[email protected], [email protected]
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Abstract

Archaeological excavations conducted during the construction of the Museum of the Acropolis in Athens exposed an urban neighbourhood dated from the classical to the Byzantine periods. This discovery induced a modification of the original architectural plan: museum and excavation were combined into a unique exhibition ensemble. Its visitors further created another, peculiar and makeshift, spatial innovation in the excavation quarters. This study focuses upon multiple enacted receptions of historical spaces on the site, diachronically. Byzantine dwellers perceived and used the ancient site; the Museum creators integrated the Byzantine neighbourhood; contemporary visitors spontaneously signified the entire complex with new symbolic meaning.

Keywords

Byzantine AthensMuseum of the Acropolisspatial studiesreception studiesmuseum studiesperformativitycultural heritage
Type
Article
Information
Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies , Volume 49 , Issue 1 , April 2025 , pp. 98 - 111
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Centre for Byzantine, Ottoman and Modern Greek Studies, University of Birmingham

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