n the southeast side of the Parthenon is the modern Acropolis Museum, one of the most important archaeological museums, in the world. Placed discreetly on a level below that of the main monuments, the Acropolis Museum contains almost all of the portable objects removed from the site since 1834. There is a small courtyard at its entrance which leads to a wide corridor.

he tour should begin in the room to the left of the corridor so that the chronological development of the exhibits can be better understood. It contains nine rooms which succeed one another, and clearly relate the history of Attica art from the Archaic period until the acme of its Classical grandeur in the 5th century BC. Masterpieces of Archaic and Classical sculpture are on display, which were architectural decorations of the temples on the Acropolis or were offerings made in that space. There are also porous limestone pediments with depictions of myths from Archaic temples.
There is even a Caryatid on display and plaques from the frieze, and metopes and sculptures from the pediments of the Parthenon. In the Acropolis Museum one can admire the works of the great sculptor of antiquity, Pheidias. The renowned Archaic sculptures of women, who were found buried in the Erechtheion and elsewhere, are also exceptional. In the first room one's attention is attracted by two sculptural groups. The first is the oldest pediment from the Acropolis and depicts Hercules with the Lernaian Hydra and the second depicts a lioness who is devouring a bull and a piece of pediment from an Archaic temple. Also of note is a Gorgon's head made of pentelic marble which was the acrotirion of an Archaic temple of Athena. f particular interest in the second room is the Archaic pediment with the apotheosis of Hercules to Olympus as well as the pediment of Hercules fighting Triton. But unquestionably the best exhibit in the room is the "Calf-Bearer", an Archaic statue of a made by Rhombos, according to the inscription of the base. In the third room an imposing pediment complex where a bull is being devoured by lions, claimes one's attention. Also exceptional is a votive sphinx with a sweet expression on its face.

		n the first part of the fourth room are four works which are attributed to one of the greatest artists of the Archaic period, Phaidimos. These works are the "Horseman" from 560 BC, the "Peplos Kore" from 530 BC which shows particular sensitivity in the execution of the face and the framing of the body with the severe Doric peplos. The rest ones are the statue of a running dog from around 520 BC and a spout in the shape of a lion's head which ornamented the temple of Athena during the time of the Peisistratides. In the second part of the room is housed a marvelous collection of Kores which are set up in groups, according to the technique used. They are dated from between 550 and 500 BC and are works of sculptors influenced by Ionic art.
In the fifth room the visitor will admire pieces from the imposing complexes of the eastern pediment of the old temple of Athena, from the time of the Peisistratides. They depict a Battle with the Giants with the astonishing presence of the goddess Athena in the center of the pediment. The two Victories from the Roman period, made of terracotta, are of especial interest, copies of prototypes from the 5th century BC; there is also the Kore by the sculptor Antinoras (end of the 6th century BC). In the seven cases in the room are displayed a interesting collection of pottery from various periods.

n the sixth room are displayed marvelous works in the scope "severe style", the technique that was the forerunner of the classical masterpieces. There are also the relief of the pensive Athena from 460 - 450 BC, a head of an ephebe from 485 BC, a statue of a boy known as the "Kritios Boy", an astonishing marble horse, the "Sulking Kore" from 490 BC and a painted panel of terracotta (end of the 6th century BC) which was most likely a section of a polyptych or a frieze. In the seventh room is a representation of two pediments of the Parthenon in reduced scale as well as mutilated sections from the frieze of the temple and the west pediment. The metope where a Centaur is seizing a Lapid is worth note.
In the eight room the visitor will admire several of the masterpieces of the art of all the periods. There are about 20 panels on display from the Ionic frieze of the Parthenon with the procession of the Great Panathenaic Procession as well as relief plaques from the parapet of the temple of Nike where the famed Victory is undoing her sandal. Works done in the "rich" style with a distinctive casualness and tenderness in the attire which superbly describes the curves of the human body.

In the 9th room are displayed four authentic Caryatids from the porch of Erechtheion. These famous sculptures come from the workshop of the sculptor Alkamenis. On the opposite wall there is interest to be found in a relief depicting a trireme, a mask of Dionysos of colossal size from the Roman period.
There are also two marble "kalyptires" from the Parthenon. Finally, in the museum's corridor the statue of Procne and Itys is on display, attributed to Alkamenis, a likeness of Alexander the Great made of pentelic marble, a very expressive head of a philosopher from the first half of the 5th century BC and at the exit door a marble owl from the beginning of the 5th century BC, a symbol of the immortal city of Athens.

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