Delphi Archaeological Museum

Delphi Archaeological Museum opened its doors in 1903 to house discoveries from the ancient sanctuary of Apollo, a site the Greeks once considered the center of the world. French architect Albert Tournaire designed the original building, and the museum has been rebuilt and expanded several times since, most recently for its 2003 centenary reopening.

The collection spans fourteen rooms and more than 2,270 square meters, moving chronologically from the Mycenaean period through the early Byzantine era. Its centerpiece is the Charioteer of Delphi, one of the finest surviving bronzes from the severe style of early Greek sculpture, displayed alone in its own room. Nearby stands the Sphinx of Naxos, a votive offering carved by ancient Greek sculptors and set atop a tall column at the sanctuary.

Delphi draws visitor numbers that rival Athens' National Archaeological Museum, and its galleries of statuary, architectural fragments, and votive offerings give context to the ruins scattered across the hillside above.