Much has been made in the past of the British Museum’s links with other countries such as China (when it suits them). This helps them to backup their Universal Museum argument, implying that through numerous cultural links it is in fact a museum of the world & not a purely British institution.

Collaboration with other countries, to create reciprocal exhibitions is not limited to the British Museum however, as evidenced by previous exhibitions in China sponsored by Greece. Indeed, the two countries have quite a bit in common, as both are trying to recover items from abroad that were looted by different Earls of Elgin.

From:
People’s Daily

Athens history exhibit opens in Shanghai
17:28, June 11, 2010

The Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism will organize a cultural archeological exhibition in the Shanghai Library from June 10 to June 20 with the title “Athens: The Living History.”

The exhibition is a Greek contribution to Expo 2010 closely related to the theme “Better City, Better Life” and the theme of the Greek Pavilion “Polis, The Living City.” It presents the ancient and modern city of Athens including the city’s architecture and urban development as well as the integration of ancient monuments into daily life.

The exhibition includes six separate but closely-connected sections. The first section is dedicated to “The Athenian Polis in the Light of its Inscriptions” and deals with the institutions of the ideal city through the epigraphic testimonies.

The second section is dedicated to “The Aegean of the Coins” (from the Numismatic Museum of Athens) underscoring the strong linkage between economic growth and the maritime tradition in Greece.

Also, a virtual reality tour of the Agora, which was the political and economic center of ancient Athens, created by the Foundation of the Hellenic World will be included and connected to both sections.

The fourth part of the exhibition is dedicated to the “Acropolis Restoration Project.” The exhibits of this section comprise 179 photographs and texts that cover part of the floor so that the visitor can actually walk and experience the interior of the ancient temple.

The fifth part of the exhibition is dedicated to the latest, most attractive development in the historic center of Athens, the “New Acropolis Museum,” describing how the museum was built in order to maintain visual contact with the Acropolis monuments and Parthenon’s sculptures without damaging the archaeological findings that extend across its foundations.

Finally, the last section is focused on the “Unification of Athens’ Archaeological Sites” which is a major ongoing urban regeneration project aiming to “unify” the six main archaeological sites of Athens all located at the city center and around the Acropolis. Visitors of the exhibition will be able to explore the historic center of Athens through videos, photos and texts.

By People’s Daily Online