Archaeological museum of Tegea, archaeological museum in Tegea, Arcadia, Greece
The Archaeological Museum of Tegea is a small stone building in Alea, Arcadia, completed in 1909. Its four indoor galleries trace Tegea from the Neolithic period through the Roman era, with a dedicated room for the Arcadian Herms and another for the Sanctuary of Athena Alea. An outdoor exhibit displays inscriptions and funerary stelae.
The museum opened in 1909 after Bishop Neilos gave land for the building, which was completed with support from the Athens Archaeological Society. During the Second World War, workers buried many exhibits under the floor to protect them, and the building later needed repeated repairs after thefts and structural damage.
The collection focuses on pieces from the nearby Sanctuary of Athena Alea, so you can see how local worship left its mark in carved stone and small offerings. In display cases, rows of everyday pottery show the handiwork of potters from a single region over many centuries.
The museum is a short walk from the Sanctuary of Athena Alea, whose ruins lie about 200 metres away and are visited on open ground. Inside, four galleries and an outdoor exhibit area are reached through the main hall. Interactive displays, a video wall and Braille labels are provided, and the galleries are designed with provision for visitors with disabilities.
Some of the old objects on display were literally buried beneath the museum floor during the war, then dug up and put back in the cases. Visitors today stand over the very ground that once hid ancient coins and statues from invading soldiers.
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