Greece Opens First Underwater Archaeological Museum

Greece has inaugurated the world's first underwater archaeological museum off the coast of Alonissos island, centered on the Peristera shipwreck dating to around 425 BC. The wreck, discovered in the 1990s by a local fisherman, lies at a depth of 28 meters and contains over 3,000 ancient amphorae that were being transported to Athens. Previously off-limits to protect the site, the area is now accessible to divers and tourists from August 2020 until October 2, 2020, within the Alonissos Marine National Park. The museum offers both diving tours and augmented reality experiences at an information center on the island. Thessaly governor Kostas Agoratos has dubbed the site the "Parthenon of shipwrecks." The project is part of the EU-funded BLUE MED cooperation program, which promotes knowledge and protection of the Mediterranean. Greece plans to open additional underwater sites, positioning itself on the global underwater tourism map.