Celebrate the Full Moon on August 15, 2019

A full moon will hang over the Acropolis in Athens on August 15, 2019, and the city is gearing up for a truly mesmerising night. You can always hike up the hills of Lycabettus, Philoppapou or Pnyx to appreciate the view. But there will also be plenty of concerts, shows, movie nights, and tours to help visitors fully appreciate Athens in all its moonlit glory throughout the week, starting August 11 and wrapping up on August 19. On August 15, 2019, several museums and archaeological sites will remain open (with free admission!) from morning until well into the night. Even if you’ve already checked them off your list, you won’t want to miss this opportunity to explore these museums, historical sites, and live music venues under a full moon. Check out a few of these events below:

The Acropolis Museum will take full advantage of the full moon. Museum-goers can enjoy the exhibits until midnight, with free entry after 8 pm (the museum’s wonderful restaurant and cafe will also keep these hours). We highly recommend taking in the view from the museum’s upper floors. For those who want to dig a little deeper, tours of the archaeological excavations beneath the museum will be available at noon and 5 pm for English speakers—make sure to sign up at the Information Desk at the entrance. And starting at 9 pm in the museum’s courtyard, an orchestra will play songs by renowned Greek songwriters and composers, like Kostas Makedonas, Haris Alexiou, and more.

Other museums holding special hours (and no entry fee): the Numismatic Museum, will stay open late, from 6:30- 8:30 pm, followed by live music in the garden, and the National Archeological Museum, which will also remain open from 6:30 pm until midnight. This museum will also participate in the Panhellenic Concerts, a series that centres on the museum’s archaeological sites.