Two new planes purchased by Aegean Airlines will publicise the New Acropolis Museum, with huge images of artefacts from the museum painted on their sides. This will publicise the New Acropolis Museum to help Greek Tourism – something that will also help to publicise the issue of the Parthenon Marbles.

(If you click through to the original article, there are images of the two planes.)

From:
Aegean Air

2 new Airbus aircraft, “Cleisthenes” and “Pheidias”, take the New Acropolis Museum and Greece on a journey around the world
Athens, November 26, 2009

Aegean, the largest Greek airline, announced a national cultural initiative, ultimately aiming at boosting the country’s international image, as well as supporting Greek tourism. In particular, the two new Airbus Α320 aircraft bearing the image of the Acropolis Museum’s Kori of Athens were presented during an event held at the company’s technical base. The inscription urges us to “Discover the New Acropolis Museum”, not to mention the Museum’s website at http://www.theacropolismuseum.gr. “Cleisthenes” and “Pheidias” become a live invitation to the New Acropolis Museum for millions of passengers throughout the world. They will be calling us on a tour through civilization, at each and every destination, at each and every airport.

These two airplanes however are not the only “vehicles” promoting the Museum and Greece. From the beginning of 2010 onwards, a special video that will be provided by the Museum will be broadcast aboard all 22 brand new Airbus aircraft owned by AEGEAN during all international flights. The video will introduce the newest jewel of Greece and Athens to travelers, let alone arouse their interest and encourage a visit.
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Aegean Airlines is allowing has made an offer to 208 schools located on Greece’s islands to transport their pupils to Athens to see the New Acropolis Museum for free – making Greece’s culture far more accessible to a wider range of the country’s citizens than just those based near to Athens.

From:
Crete Gazette

Greek Pupils Travel Free with Aegean Airlines to the New Acropolis Museum
1st October 2009

Thousands of Greek pupils of the 9th grade will have the chance to travel for free to Athens from their area of residence to enjoy the unique experience of visiting the new Acropolis Museum and get to know the rich cultural heritage. This chance is given to them by Aegean Airlines, offering free transportation to pupils from the Greek Islands.

The project Aegean – Close to the Youth aims at offering to pupils from 208 different schools in the Greek Islands, the chance to visit the New Museum of the Acropolis. The project, once approved by the pertinent ministry and officials will start in October and will be involve all the pupils of ninth grade for the school year 2009-2010.
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More coverage of the successful first few days since the opening of the New Acropolis Museum.

From:
GRReporter

Successful first days for the Acropolis Museum
01 July 2009

The new Acropolis Museum, which was officially opened on June 20th, is finding itself a fundamental place in the Athenian life. The dozed off neighborhood around the streets “Makriyanni,” “Hadzihristou,” and “Mitzeon,” which were suffering the long construction period, are now turning into the liveliest part of the Greek capital. The patience of shop and coffee house owners, whose patience was running out because of the construction, is finally going to pay off. Long lines of tourists from all over the world are formed in front of the elegant building of the museum. 120 000 people have visited the museum for the first 10 days of its opening, which means that there were 12 000 people per day!

During the first five days, tickets could be bought only online and daily, 11 000 tickets were sold. Many people prefer to reserve their tickets over the phone and others – through a tourist agency. Right now, the Acropolis Museum is working on a longer day – from 08:00AM until 08:00PM but the lines start forming long before the opening hour. All celebrities, who come to Athens, also visit the museum. The mentioned stretched working times will remain until the end of 2009.
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