President marks International Museum Day on Acropolis Hill as sites reopen to the public
President Katerina Sakellaropoulou visited the Acropolis Hill on Monday which signalled the first day when archaeological sites reopen to the public after the lockdown imposed in mid-March to halt the spread of coronavirus.
Sakellaropoulou noted that the opening coincided with the International Museum Day. “It is an almost symbolic coincidence: on the one hand, the digital celebration of the day, as decided by the International Council of Museums, adapted to the exceptional conditions we all experience, and on the other hand, the free tour of open and visitable places.”
More than 200 archaeological sites would welcome visitors on May 18, in the third round of openings announced last week.
The sites are the first category of cultural sites to return to normal operation, followed by summer cinemas on June 1, museums on June 15 and art events on July 15, as Culture Minister Lina Mendoni has announced.
They will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with all the necessary safety measures, according to the instructions of the National Public Health Organisation (EODY).
Hundreds of public beaches reopened over the weekend amid a spike in temperatures, with strict distancing rules, but crowding did occur on buses from Athens to the nearby coast.
