Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes

Overview

Whether you've been fascinated with ancient Greece since you studied classics at school, or you also just watched Troy on DVD about 500 times back in 2004, you won't want to miss a huge international exhibition on this year at Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes is a giant selection of ancient artefacts on loan to New Zealand from the British Museum's world-renowned collection.

On show from Friday, June 10 until Sunday, November, 6, the exhibition showcases a wide range of treasures and stories from ancient Greece, including a selection of iconic sculptures from the 'Mausoleum at Halikarnassos' — one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World — and a gold lion-headed pendant which harks back to around 450–400 BC. There will also be Greek vases depicting athletes, gods and battles, as well as spectacular terracotta and marble statues, weapons, armour, toys, games, and jewellery.

The exhibition was originally meant to be on show in 2020, but was postponed amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. Better late than never, this mammoth exhibition will offer museum-goers a chance to get up close and personal with one of the most fascinating and remarkable civilisations of human history.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $12 for children aged 5-13, while under-fives can scoot in for free.