Upgrade, not relocation urged for Limassol museum

During her visit to Limassol on Thursday, Deputy Minister of Culture Vasiliki Kassianidou expressed her stance that the Limassol Archaeological Museum should remain in its current location and be upgraded.

Kassianidou toured various sites, including the ancient port, the new burial sites in Amathounta, the Episkopi Museum, and several excavation sites in the community of Erimi.

She also visited the Limassol Archaeological Museum, on the back of recent calls from local authorities to relocate it.

Speaking to media outside the museum, Kassianidou said she would rather keep its location.

“The museum holds immense treasures, as well as many new finds from excavations conducted by the department of antiquities in the Amathounta area and elsewhere.

“It certainly needs an upgrade to display all the new finds, as new archaeological sites have come to light in the past 20 years, which may not be represented at the moment.

“However, the museum is located in a central part of the city, and we [the deputy ministry of culture and the department of antiquities] believe that it should remain here. It will not be moved, but it needs an upgrade to accommodate the new finds,” Kassianidou said.

She added that her goal for the museum is to create more educational spaces with information for visitors, as well as educational hubs on excavations and new archaeological sites.

“The museum serves as a workspace for archaeologists, conservators, foreign missions, or university excavations, all of whom need a space where they can work and study the material,” she added.

Responding to concerns about the adequacy of the museum’s premises, Kassianidou said that the museum has the potential to expand, highlighting that the building itself is part of Limassol’s modern architectural heritage.

Regarding the timeline for implementation of the potential renovations, she explained that studies need to be conducted and integrated into the budget first.

When asked about the fact that the museum remains closed on weekends, she mentioned that extending its operating hours “is part of the deputy ministry’s goals.”

She further pointed out that the department of antiquities has prepared a study on the topic to be submitted to the finance ministry.

Referring to her visit to Limassol on Thursday, she said that the deputy ministry will improve the maintenance and management of archaeological sites, “to make the visitors’ experience better.”

She also hailed her visit to ancient Amathounta.

“It is an amazing site, both archaeologically and naturally, and is one of the few areas in the Limassol district where the real landscape is preserved.

“There is a management plan through which the goal is to make the area more attractive to visitors, with added pathways and information.”

Finally, she noted that the museum in the Episkopi community also requires upgrading and maintenance, while quipping that there is an issue with the site in the Erimi community, “which belongs to individuals who want to exploit it.”