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The National Museum of Australia is re-opening its doors after lockdown and is delighted to welcome visitors back on-site from today, Friday 29 October 2021.
Media are invited to come to the Museum this morning for the following
* 8.45am – 9.15am Smoking Ceremony – Paul House, a local Ngambri (Kamberri) custodian, will perform a Smoking Ceremony in the Museum Forecourt to mark the reopening of the Museum
* 9.30am – 10.00am – Greek musicians from the popular Greek Kefi Band and interviews with NMA Director Dr Mathew Trinca on the reopening of the Museum after the COVID lockdown and the Ancient Greeks ticket launch. The band includes a bouzouki player, a piano accordionist, and a drummer
To mark this milestone, tickets for the Museum’s coming Summer blockbuster exhibition Ancient Greeks exhibition from the British Museum will go on sale today.
Following a year-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes will open at the National Museum in Canberra on 17 December as the nation emerges from lockdowns for the summer holidays.
Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes is a major exhibition from the British Museum featuring iconic objects which have never before toured the Southern Hemisphere.
The exhibition explores the theme of competition through sports, politics, drama, music and warfare, illuminated by more than 170 objects from the British Museum’s peerless collection.
National Museum director Mathew Trinca said he was delighted Ancient Greeks was among the exhibitions on offer in the Museum’s 20th birthday year after COVID-19 delayed its arrival last year.
Logistical challenges in bringing international exhibitions to Australia due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic prompted the rescheduling of Ancient Greeks.
“I know audiences will be mesmerised by the stories of competition in the ancient Greek world and by the beautiful depictions of athletes, the ceramics, sculptures, armour and jewellery featured in the show,” Dr Trinca said.
Ancient Greeks is the 4th in a series of British Museum exhibitions at the National Museum. It is on show at the Western Australian Museum in Perth from 20 June to 7 November 2021 and will also go on show at Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum in 2022.
Artistic, physical, and intellectual competition pervaded Ancient Greek society, which in turn influenced language, politics, educational systems, philosophy, science, and the arts around the world.
Key objects in the show include iconic black and red-figured ceramics featuring finely drawn depictions of athletes, gods and citizens; stunning marble and terracotta, statues and reliefs including many fine nudes; bronze figurines; weapons and armour; toys and games; fine gold jewellery; and coins.
National Museum of Australia, Canberra | 17 December 2021 to 1 May 2022 | Costs apply