At the Myconian Collection, we are profoundly committed to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of our region. We are deeply honored to support initiatives that celebrate our rich history and civilization of our land. Witnessing the transformation and revival of our historical treasures fills us with immense pride and reinforces our dedication to cultural preservation.
On Friday, July 19, President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou inaugurated the Delos Archaeological Museum. She toured the archaeological site of Delos and then proceeded to the Archaeological Museum of Mykonos, where she delivered a speech at the official presentation of the Delos Museum renovation project and the temporary exhibition “Delos – Rineia – Mykonos: Images from 150 Years of Archaeological Research,” co-organized by the Ministry of Culture, the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades, the French School at Athens, and the Municipality of Mykonos.
In her address, Katerina Sakellaropoulou congratulated all contributors for their significant initiative, describing it as a grand archaeological adventure that unfolded over decades on the sacred island of Delos. She referred to it as a small excavation epic that brought together distinguished archaeologists and simple villagers, laborers from Mykonos and nearby islands, willing to toil to bring the marvel to light.
The Delos Archaeological Museum, one of Greece’s oldest regional museums, was founded in 1904, alongside the Mykonos Museum, established in 1902 due to Delos’s influence. These institutions played a pivotal role in Delos’s prominence and subsequent tourism boom. Today, the renovated building features extensive infrastructure improvements both internally and externally. Inside, visitors are greeted by a large photograph of the Sacred Lake in front of the Terrace of the Lions. This is an enlarged graphic-enhanced photograph from the French Archaeological School, dated 1920, merged with a contemporary photo of the same location and displayed in oversized vertical sections. The Sacred Lake is the mythical site where Leto, grasping a palm tree, gave birth to Apollo and Artemis. The 9 or 16 Lions, unique sculptural ensembles in Greece, were the “unblinking guardians” of Leto’s sanctuary and the northern approach to the Delian gods’ sanctuary.
In the Hall of the Lions, a soundscape attempts to recreate a festive day in antiquity at the grand sanctuary in the Lions’ area, with music by Aliki Markantonatou and sound design by Yiannis Skandamis. Additionally, the impressive statue of Gaius Ofellius Ferus now occupies a prominent position, thanks to new scientific techniques, with ring-shaped supports at the shins and chest.
The archaeological site of Delos owes its discovery to French archaeologists who arrived there in the late 19th century, specifically in 1873, when the French Archaeological School began the first systematic excavations, peaking between 1903 and 1913 until the late 1920s. In 1898, the Ephorate of Antiquities of Delos-Mykonos was established, initiating collaboration with the French School, whose significant contribution is honored by the Mykonos Museum with the exhibition “Delos – Rineia – Mykonos: Images from 150 Years of Archaeological Research.” The exhibition primarily consists of archival photographic material, as the first commercial cameras became available after 1888, and the French excavators, led by archaeologist Joseph Chamonard, used this new medium to document their work. The Greek Archaeological Service did the same with archaeologists Dimitrios Stavropoulos and Demosthenes Pippas.
The exhibition features stunning black-and-white images from the early 1900s, Mykonian workers during excavation or beside newly unearthed statues, panoramic views of excavations like that of the theatre, the house of Dionysus during its excavation, finds displayed and archived, the self-taught conservator George Polykantriotis from Mykonos, and the camera of ephor Dimitrios Stavropoulos. Additionally, wall paintings from Delos, nude statues of Apollo, amphorae, a sundial, kouroi, and other highly interesting exhibits are on display.