The Archaeological Museum of Nemea – seen here from the southwest – was constructed as a part of the University of California’s excavation program. It was officially given to the Greek State on May 28, 1984, and has been in operation since then, except when sometimes closed by the Ministry of Culture in the winter. Information at 011-30-27460-22739.
It was designed for the display of artifacts from the excavations, and as the southern limit of the Sanctuary of Nemean Zeus (photographs #6 & 7).
Large windows in the main exhibition hall allow the visitor to compare the remains on the site with reconstructed models of Nemea in 300 B.C. and A.D. 500.
The displays in the main exhibition hall are, to the extent possible, lighted naturally, and the emphasis is on the artifacts and not on the display cases. They are supplemented by photographs from the excavations.
A third large window at the far (eastern) end of the exhibition hall looks out toward the stadium and has a model of it, as well as a video showing the operation of the hysplex starting mechanism.
The museum was the gift of a UCB alumnus, Rudolph A. Peterson, who was among many things, Time’s Man of the Year in 1966. A marble plaque in the entrance expresses his vision of our common humanity and history.
