Major renovation planned for Athens’ archaeological museum

By DEREK GATOPOULOS
Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Plans for a major renovation of the National Archaeological Museum in Greece have been announced by the country’s Culture Ministry, expanding exhibition space at the Athens site that houses the most important collection of Greek antiquities in the world. The project, announced Wednesday, expected to last four years, will be led by the British architect Sir David Chipperfield, whose major works include restoration of the Neues Museum in Berlin and the design of the East Building at the Saint Louis Art Museum. New construction covering 215,000 square feet is planned around the existing 19th century neoclassical building in central Athens and would include new above- and below-ground exhibition areas, garden space and a new front entrance.