Archaeological Museum of Argos

The Archaeological Museum of Argos (Greek: Αρχαιολογικό Μουσείο Άργους) is a museum in Argos, in Argolis on the Peloponnese peninsula, Greece. It houses artifacts from the broader Argolid region spanning from the Mid-Helladic period (about 2000 B.C.) to Late Antiquity (600 AD). The museum's collection derives primarily from excavations conducted by the French Archaeological School and the American School of Classical Studies, with major finds from the ancient agora, the Roman theatre area, the Mycenaean grave at Deras, and the prehistoric site of Lerna.

The museum's history began in April 1932, when the heirs of J. Kallergis donated the building to the Argos city council. The municipality in turn transferred it to the Greek state along with the surrounding area on October 25, 1955. The original building, constructed in 1830 in neoclassical style as a residential house, was renovated to form part of the museum. The Kallergeio museum was inaugurated in 1957, and a new wing was added in 1961, with construction supervised by the French Archaeological School. A modernization and reorganization program began in 2014. Following extensive restoration work that required a 12-year closure, the museum reopened to the public in June 2026 with its exhibition space doubled.

The collection covers periods from prehistory through the Roman era, with the permanent exhibition arranged across three main rooms. The largest room is organized chronologically from the Middle Helladic period to the Classical period. A dedicated room on the ground floor, the "Lerna Room," presents finds from the prehistoric site of Lerna, spanning from the Neolithic to the Mycenaean period. Another room displays sculptural works from the region. The chronological breadth and regional focus make the collection particularly significant for understanding the continuous occupation and cultural development of the Argolid.

Among the most significant objects are a Minoan-style bridge-mouthed pot of sub-Mycenaean times, and a reddish pot dated 460-450 BC depicting the fight of Theseus and the Minotaur with Ariadne present. A geometric compass decorated with meanders and parallel lines represents early geometric craftsmanship. A 5th-century mosaic floor from a house displays symbols representing the twelve months. The museum holds a 7th-century BC crater fragment depicting Odysseus and his companion blinding the Cyclops Polyphemus, and a post-Geometric crater with two horizontal and two vertical handles decorated with metopes showing dancers and water birds. Sculptural highlights include a Roman Heracles, a copy of the prototype by Lysippus for the market of Sikyon, and a Hellenistic representation of the Eumenides. The Lerna Room contains a miniature clay figurine of a woman or goddess, among the oldest sculptural representations of the human body found in Europe. Post-Geometric earthenware pomegranate models, both wheel-thrown and hand-made, evoke the presence of Hera and symbolize wealth and prosperity. A bronze cuirass and helmet from a late 8th-century BC tomb, iron armor from the Archaic period, and a lyre made from a tortoise shell are also notable. Additional significant pieces include a Late Helladic figurine of a woman holding a small child with wavy line decoration, and Geometric period ceramics from the 8th century BC showing a female figure holding the reins of a horse at a water's edge, groups of men, horse sacrifice, wrestlers, swastikas, pelicans, and wading birds.

The museum occupies a neoclassical building constructed in 1830, originally a private residence, which was adapted for museum use. It consists of two sections: the renovated Kallergeio house and the newer wing completed in 1961. The courtyard contains notable Roman mosaics depicting Dionysos and the seasons, with figures dressed in heavy cloaks and thick leggings for winter and light tunics for summer. The site also reproduces part of a Roman villa with mosaic floors featuring hunting scenes, Dionysiac scenes, and representations of the months.

The museum is located in Argos, within the Argos-Mykines Municipality in the Argolis region of the Peloponnese, Greece. It operates under the Greek state, which received the property from the Argos city council in 1955. After reopening in June 2026 following a 12-year closure for restoration, the museum now offers doubled exhibition space. The official website is maintained through the Greek Ministry of Culture portal at odysseus.culture.gr.