Thessalonikéon Métropolis Museum Opens in Greece

The Thessalonikéon Métropolis museum in Thessaloniki, Greece, opened on May 7, 2026, in the renovated Building A3 of the former Pavlos Melas barracks. The restoration cost approximately €14.5 million, partly funded by European funds. The museum displays over 300,000 archaeological objects unearthed during the construction of the Thessaloniki metro, which began in 2006 and involved the largest salvage excavation in northern Greece. Some 30,000 square meters were excavated, yielding thousands of tombs, funerary assemblages, and over 50,000 coins. The archaeological interventions cost between €75 and €203 million. The centerpiece comes from the Venizelou station, where the Decumanus Maximus was found six meters below street level, with porticos, shops, and colonnades from the 4th to 6th centuries. Its preservation and density earned it the nickname "Byzantine Pompeii" and sparked debate over in situ conservation, leading to engineering changes. Tunnels were deepened to 31 meters in sensitive areas (from the original 14 meters) to allow dismantling, restoration, and reinstallation of remains. Thirteen stations along the nearly 10-kilometer line feature exhibition spaces visible to travelers, while the museum provides context and conservation. The total cost of the metro line and associated works is estimated at around €3 billion, with some estimates reaching €3.5 billion.