Acropolis museum restores ancient rider statue to original base
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
The Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece, recently re-exhibited a statue of a rider, catalog number Acr. 700, after completing conservation and restoration work.
The statue dates to between 510 and 500 BC and now stands on its original ancient base, after decades on a different support. Museum staff timed the re-presentation to coincide with European Conservation Day 2026, emphasizing the importance of conservation for understanding ancient artifacts.
For many years, the statue had been displayed on a base constructed between 1956 and 1964, during renovations at the old Acropolis Museum, under the direction of Yannis Miliadis. While this base served its purpose, the original base remained in storage on the Acropolis. The recent work removed the newer supports, restored the statue, and reconnected it to its ancient base.
This change aims to show visitors the statue as it was originally intended to be seen, highlighting its historical context and the journey of archaeological finds from excavation to museum display. The museum views conservation not only as preservation, but also as a tool for revealing the full history and identity of cultural heritage. The restored statue is now part of the Archaic Acropolis Hall within the museum.
