The Ministry of Culture is carrying out a full upgrade plan for the Kilkis Archaeological Museum. The plan covers modernizing the existing building, completing the required studies, reorganizing the collection displays, and expanding the museum onto an adjacent plot that was transferred to the Ministry of Culture by the Ministry of Rural Development.
According to the ministry’s announcement, the project’s total budget is above €3,500,000, not including the cost of constructing the new building.
Of that amount, €2,300,000 comes from the Ministry of Culture’s National Development Program, and €1,100,000 comes from the Regional Operational Program “Central Macedonia” under the 2021-2027 ESPA framework. National funds from the Ministry of Culture are covering all necessary studies, including those for the museum’s expansion.
The preliminary studies for the new building, covering architecture, site design, structural engineering, and electromechanical systems, have already been approved, and the next phase of planning is underway.
Safety Measures for Key Artifacts
As part of the reorganized exhibition, the museum is introducing safety measures for its most important archaeological pieces. Among them is the Kouros of Europos, one of the collection’s most significant works, which will receive a dedicated structural support and earthquake protection plan to keep it safely on display. The overall goal of the project is to create a modern cultural space for the region and improve the visitor experience.
Lina Mendoni: Building a Modern Museum
Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said the ministry is carrying out a coordinated, multi-part plan in Kilkis to upgrade the city’s archaeological museum and highlight the region’s cultural heritage. She noted that the expansion, the modernization of the existing museum, and the reorganized collection displays will together create a modern museum with upgraded infrastructure, new exhibition and storage spaces, and updated visitor services.
She added that this effort fits within the ministry’s broader policy of building modern, sustainable, accessible, and energy-efficient museums that support local communities. Her stated goal is for the Kilkis museum to showcase the region’s archaeological wealth in a contemporary way, draw more visitors, and better serve local needs. She also stressed that particular attention is being paid to protecting the artifacts themselves once they go back on display. She described the Kouros of Europos as one of the museum’s most significant and iconic pieces and the only nearly intact kouros statue found in Macedonia, noting it requires special handling due to the sensitivity of its support points.
The approved plan includes a modern seismic isolation and discreet support system that protects the original sculpture without altering the marble. She said the ministry is investing not only in protecting and promoting antiquities but also in making culture a lasting driver of quality of life, outreach, and development for the local community.
Expansion of the Kilkis Archaeological Museum
The expansion study covers the design of a new building that will add space while working alongside the existing museum and keeping its own separate identity. The new structure is planned on the adjacent 2,224-square-meter plot that was transferred from the Ministry of Rural Development to the Ministry of Culture. The design of the new building and its surrounding grounds took into account the approved building program for the museum’s expansion, current zoning rules for the property, and the ongoing upgrade of the existing museum building next door.
Three Levels of New Space
The new building will have a total floor area of about 860 square meters across three levels. The basement will house archaeological storage, a data room, and electromechanical equipment areas. The ground floor will include a reception area, a temporary exhibition hall, visitor services such as a café and restrooms (including one accessible for people with disabilities), a library and reading room with an archive, and offices. The upper floor will hold offices for staff of the Kilkis Ephorate of Antiquities, along with a meeting room and staff restrooms.
The Kouros of Europos and Its History
The Kouros of Europos is a life-size male figure standing 1.86 meters tall, an important example of the late Archaic period made from Thasian marble. It depicts a nude male figure in a frontal pose with the left leg slightly forward and simplified anatomical detail. It was discovered in 1968 in Europos and put on display at the Kilkis Archaeological Museum. In 1978, antiquities smugglers cut into the statue in an attempted theft, ultimately making off with only its head.
The head was later found abroad and returned to Greece in 1981, after which the statue was restored and put back on display. The Kouros remains in generally good structural condition despite wear on the marble surface and earlier restoration work. The most significant issues are at its support points, where cracks and detachment have reduced its resistance to lateral and seismic stress.
To address this, additional protective measures were required. The approved solution includes seismic isolation of the base using sliding surfaces and a discreet, reversible support system for the sculpture that does not alter the original material. The aim is to reduce seismic stress, particularly at the vulnerable ankle areas, and keep the Kouros safe from further damage.
