Athens tickets: the National Archaeological Museum and the Temple of Olympian Zeus

This guide is for travellers who have the Acropolis planned and want two more big ancient sights in Athens: the National Archaeological Museum and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Both have separate tickets, and their winter hours are short, so the order you visit them in matters. For the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum and the Ancient Agora, see our Athens sightseeing tickets guide.

When is the Temple of Olympian Zeus open?

The official Hellenic Heritage page for the Olympieion lists these hours:

• Winter (1 November to 31 March): every day, 08:00 to 15:00.
• Summer: from 1 April to 31 August, 08:00 to 20:00. Closing time then moves earlier through September and October.
• Last admission: 20 minutes before closing, which means 14:40 in winter.
• Closed on 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Easter Sunday, and 25 and 26 December.
• Free entry on 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September and 28 October, and on the first and third Sunday of each month from November to March.

The site is on Vasilissis Olgas Avenue, between the Acropolis and Ardittos Hill. The official page says it's a 7-minute walk from Akropoli metro station (line 2). Tram line T6 stops at Leoforos Vouliagmenis.

Most of the site is wheelchair accessible through the main entrance on Vasilissis Olgas Avenue, though the ticket page recommends coming with a companion.

You can book a Temple of Olympian Zeus ticket. It includes entry and a digital guide that you download from the confirmation email. When we checked, it was non-refundable and couldn't be rescheduled. Check the official page for current prices.

When is the National Archaeological Museum open?

This is the one to check carefully. On 12 November 2026, the museum's official website listed its summer timetable as running until 15 November 2026:

• Wednesday to Monday: 08:00 to 20:00, last admission 19:30.
• Tuesday: 13:00 to 20:00, last admission 19:30.

The official Hellenic Heritage page for the museum lists the winter hours from 1 November to 31 March as:

• Wednesday to Monday: 08:30 to 15:30.
• Tuesday: 13:00 to 20:00.
• Last admission: 30 minutes before closing.

The two official pages don't agree on when winter hours start, so check the museum's own site for your date. Either way, Tuesday opens at 13:00, and on winter days other than Tuesday the museum closes in the mid-afternoon.

The museum is closed on 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Easter Sunday, and 25 and 26 December. It's free on the same days as the Olympieion, including the first and third Sunday of each month from November to March. You don't need a ticket for the museum café.

The museum is at 44 Patission (28th October) Street. The official directions say it's an 8-minute walk from Victoria (line 1) or 12 minutes from Omonia (line 2).

You can book a National Archaeological Museum ticket. It includes the permanent collection, temporary exhibitions running during your visit, and a downloadable digital guide. You pick a time slot, and the ticket says you can enter from 15 minutes before to 15 minutes after it. When we checked, it was non-refundable and couldn't be rescheduled. The ticket page also showed the museum closed on Tuesdays, which doesn't match either official page. Go by the official hours.

What's on at the museum now?

The official homepage listed three temporary exhibitions when we checked: Pylos of Nestor: A Mycenaean Kingdom Revealed (until 31 January 2027), William Kentridge's Imitate the sleep of stones (until 24 January 2027), and Divided past. Greek-German relations in dark times (until 31 January 2027).

The permanent collections cover Greek art from prehistory to late antiquity. Highlights include the Cycladic figurines, the Thera frescoes from Akrotiri, and treasures from the royal tombs at Mycenae.

Can I do both in one day?

Yes, as long as you start early in winter:

1. Temple of Olympian Zeus at 08:00, when it opens.
2. Walk 7 minutes to Akropoli and take line 2 to Omonia, then walk about 12 minutes to the museum.
3. National Archaeological Museum from late morning. It's the largest archaeological museum in Greece, so give it as much of the remaining day as you can before the mid-afternoon closing.

On a Tuesday, the museum opens at 13:00 and stays open until 20:00. That makes an easy split: Olympian Zeus in the morning, the museum in the afternoon.

Common mistakes

• Planning Olympian Zeus for the afternoon in winter. It closes at 15:00, with last admission at 14:40.
• Turning up at the museum on a Tuesday morning. It doesn't open until 13:00.
• Trusting a single hours box. The official pages and the ticket page didn't all show the same museum hours when we checked.
• Buying a ticket on a free Sunday. On the first and third Sunday from November to March, entry to both is free.

FAQ

Is the Temple of Olympian Zeus worth visiting if I've seen the Acropolis?

It's a different kind of site: the remains of one of the largest temples of antiquity, completed under Emperor Hadrian. The official page says 15 columns still stand. It sits close to the Acropolis, so it's easy to add.

Is the National Archaeological Museum closed on Tuesdays?

No. Both official pages list Tuesday as 13:00 to 20:00. It opens later than the other days.

When is entry free?

On 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and the first and third Sunday of each month from November to March.

How do I get from the Temple of Olympian Zeus to the museum?

Walk to Akropoli metro station, take line 2 to Omonia, and walk about 12 minutes to the museum.