Two new programmatic contracts, with a total budget of 1,120,000 euros were signed by the Minister of Culture and Sports Lina Mendoni, and the Regional Governor of the Peloponnese Panagiotis Nikas. The contracts relate to the preparation of studies for the creation of the new Archaeological Museum of Messini and the configuration of the site of the Ermioni Tomb Monument.

Minister of Culture and Sports Lina Mendoni said, “The creation of the new Archaeological Museum in Ancient Messini has been a constant and long-standing demand of the local community. Last July, we signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Peloponnese Region and the Municipality of Messini, laying the foundations to launch the necessary procedures. With the signing of the Programmatic Agreement, the preparation of the studies, which are jointly funded by the Ministry of Culture and the Region, begins, so that the major archaeological site of Ancient Messini can acquire a modern museum infrastructure, worthy of the importance of the site and its findings. At the same time, we are proceeding with the promotion of a very important find, the Tomb Monument of Ermioni, by placing it in a properly designed area, which can be the opportunity for the future creation of an archaeological walk that will contribute to the promotion of the rich history of Ermioni. I would like, from the bottom of my heart, to thank the Regional Governor Panagiotis Nikas for the close, stable, and highly efficient cooperation we have had over the years, as well as for his sincere interest in cultural projects”.

Panagiotis Nikas, Regional Governor of the Peloponnese, stated that “We have signed two very important Programmatic Agreements for the Peloponnese, one for the study of the Museum of Ancient Messini and the other for the placement of the burial monument of Ermionis, which will be on a plot of land owned by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, with the regeneration of the surrounding area, something very important for the region. The whole of the Peloponnese is a vast archaeological site and the Minister’s contribution was invaluable. She knows her subjects and has been hard-working and persistent and her attitude has always been right, with sensitivity and a constant effort to promote cultural heritage. I want to thank her publicly for her efforts and for her fight for all forms of culture. Her efforts have paid off. I wish and hope that she will continue her work.”

– The programmatic contract for the creation of the new Archaeological Museum of Ancient Messina, amounting to 1,000,000 euros, with the Ministry of Culture and the Region of Peloponnese, provides for the preparation of the necessary studies (Preliminary Design, Final Design – Implementation Study – Tender Documents), as well as the Museological and Museographic Study.

The necessity of the establishment of the museum is imposed by the wealth of material of the excavations carried out for years by Professor Petros Themelis in Ancient Messini. The conservation documentation of the findings of the excavations carried out in ancient Messene over many decades and the exhibition of selected sets will enable the public to be presented with the timeless history of the area, the evolution of its settlement form, and the life of its inhabitants.

The museum will be built on a plot of land owned by the Municipality of Messina, with an area of 9,258.60 m², in the area between the existing archaeological museum and the archaeological site of ancient Messina. The process of donation of the land from the Municipality of Messini to the Ministry of Culture is in progress.

– The contract for the restoration, fixing, and landscaping of the Hermione Tomb Monument, with a budget of 120. 000 euros and the Ephorate of Antiquities of Argolida, provides for the preparation of architectural, structural, and E/M study, as well as lighting and landscaping study, in order to highlight the Tomb Monument of Ermioni, large dimensions (3,23X1,98X1,45) of the burial bed cover, which represents an upward pair with semi-working heads. The Roman funerary monument will be placed on a part of a municipal plot, located east of the OTE building in Ermioni, which was granted for this purpose to the Ministry of Culture. This site was chosen because it is close to where the Monument was found, and is adjacent to the remains of a restored section of the ancient wall of Hermione.