Abstract EN:

The archaeological museum is said to be the place of cult of the past of the religion of the roots, of the idealized monumental heritage. We intend to show to what extend the national museum of athens aims to be more than a mere collection and display of unique artefacts or a public institution legitimizer of the past. Moreover it is examine its different aspects and roles apart from preservation and exhibition, what messages are to get across to the public, its own philosophy suggesting via arrangement and classification social and moral imperatives through its specific view of the past. It is also to show to what degree, in this institutional context a series of material events acquire the power of communicating in terms of visual signs, creating a state of mind and intelectual behaviors. Seeking to focuse on the message to convey, its educational task and its own distinct profile, a specific attention is to be given to the needs and interests of the heterogeneous groups of people of the athens museum : a museum visitor survey has been carried out to provide a truer picture of the museum, its public and the originality of the easthetic experience.