The new Acropolis Museum in Athens is amazing, not only for its exhibits but also the way it has been designed. As you walk into the museum, much of the floor is transparent so that you can see the excavation site below. The floor inclines to reflect the slope of the Acropolis, where most of the displayed findings come from. And the findings are really remarkable: enormous statues from the sanctuaries where the gods were worshipped and vases and other household objects from the private villas on the hill. There are rows of statues of 6th-century maidens or kores, all bearing different offerings, which were apparently found in a pit where the Athenians hid them after the Battle of Salamis. The top floor has a frieze showing the Parthenon Procession, the biggest event of ancient Athens, which is 160 metres long! The modernist building also houses a fantastic cafe/restaurant which faces the Acropolis and a Lego version of the Acropolis made in Sydney! Rykersaurus loved that.

Last time we were in Athens, the queues for the museum were too long and Ryker was very young and unlikely to endure the wait in the hot sun, so we didn’t go in. This time, we beat the queues and were certainly glad we did. Definitely a holiday highlight.